To think more should be made of our local myths, folklore and traditions

[Feelingathomenow]

Britain, and indeed the whole of the western world, seems to be becoming increasingly divided. Political ideologies v political ideology, Religion against religion, race against race, sex against sex.

For a society to be strong, it needs common values, common beliefs and common rituals. It needs shared stories we can relate to and make reference to.

This is where myths and traditions have always played a vital part. Britain is full of local stories that people have all eagerly shared, stories everyone knew that brought people together. story telling is so very important to humanity and always has been. Traditions where everyone played their part either as participator or spectator, either way it brought a community together, these kinds of rituals have proven benefits for all.

People in Devon and Cornwall always knew about the pixies and people round here often blame/thank the Pixies for good/bad luck. We have the Tar barrels every November which provides a focus for people, newer traditions referencing the old, like the pirate festival, celebrations around the landing of William of Orange etc. People talk about hairy hands grabbing the steering wheel of your car on a certain road, people know about Kitty Jays grave where fresh flowers appear on the grave of a suicide victim buried at cross roads even if your back is turned for a second or the Devil riding out across the moors with his hell hounds.

Many of these myths and legends have made it into some of the most popular stories, The hell hounds on Dartmoor made it into the hounds of the Baskerville (thanks to Doyle’s coach driver (a mr Baskerville) when he visited Dartmoor.obviously the Fantastic JK Rowling has introduced Dobies and Boggarts to children far beyond Scotland/East of England respectively. People across the world read these stories

So should we be talking about these things more, esp in schools to give common stories of Britain (or wherever you live) not so tied to the big religions or political ideologies, things that do however, fulfil the need for common stories and rituals based in the landscape of where people live? Should more be done to encourage everyone to take part in local traditions to bring communities together? Also interested to hear of any local legends/traditions etc.

I'm also interested ☺️

Thanks for sharing- do you find yourself doing that ever.

That’s true and the Glastonbury/Wells area too.

Yes, you're right. Absolutely agree that the way the Victorians did it is fascinating.

But I think it's cast quite a long shadow. It's not just about lack of education - it's about a whole way of thinking about folklore and local history that makes me uncomfortable. It's so easy for these things to be co-opted into a conservative view of 'Englishness' that hides quite nasty views.

Isn't the Royal family enough :)

Something I think is sad is the way that, in the heyday of children's fantasy literature, people like Alan Garner and Susan Cooper were playing with ideas about folklore in really lovely, exciting ways - and incorporating modern things like Jodrell Bank that a child will see as part of the landscape. I may be out of touch (and would love recommendations if so), but I don't feel there have been many writers recently who have that lovely sense of a landscape full of potential new myths.

It’s a very interesting question. I think people view these things as somehow intellectually inferior to science, when in fact, they are often extremely intellectually inspiring. I mean Newton spent more of his life looking at alchemy and hermeticism than physics.

It's really interesting to read old folk tales to hear which stories people valued and wanted to share with their own children.

That said, I went on a Celtic weekend earlier this year and one of the people on the course spoke in quite a racist way and kept bringing every conversation back around to the immigrants into Ireland and how the old Celtic traditions were being superseded by asylum seekers living in hotels etc. There can often be a slightly xenophobic streak in folk traditions with a fear of outsiders and of anything 'diluting' the purity of the traditions.

I live near an area with lots of hyperlocal traditions and it manages not to descend into racism and patriarchy for the most part. But the history of morris dancing, for example, has been basically just for white men until recent years, with quite a few questionable practises.

Folklore is massive these days, so many people are interested and new Morris groups are popping up. I saw a woman's one the other day.

I certainly don't think it should be taught in schools, it should be taught in front of a crackling fire by an aged grandparent. There is lots of stuff out there to discover if you are interested.

I'm irish and we have a huge history of myths and legends, many of which are or at least were taught in schools. The children of lir, fionn mccool and the salmon of knowledge. Books of such stories are widely available to buy as well. We've mythical creatures such as the banshee, the death coach and we even have our own headless horseman. We've leprechauns and fairies , changlings and pucas. Local areas would also have their own local myths.

My husband is cornish and he tells me about the pixies and the knockers. I'm sure when we've looked it up there was something about giants in Cornwall as well

I do think though that rejecting these things can just as easily be co-opted into the view that celebrating British culture is bad. If we are discussing actual myths and traditions, if people want to politicise it/hand wrong over it, it’s part of the problem. Again we need to educate how both sides of the political spectrum will try and use anything g to their dubious advantage

YY, this is the sort of stuff that bothers me too. I have a friend who does loads of stuff with Morris and Molly dancing, and she researches the history of it and works to do all sorts of fun stuff with making the dances non-gendered (ie., not having 'men's parts' and 'women's parts,' and so on). But there is a lot of questionable stuff out there.

The Celtic xenophobic thing is very real, too. If you look at the rhetoric around this stuff, it all links up with Trump's MAGA lot, too - they all go back to imagery of Christians against the world, 'Deus Vult' and all of that, which is a horrible thing.

I don't think folklore should have to do with this, but it's sad that sometimes it does.

That’s really interesting it’s taught in schools there. Do you think this has a positive impact?

You might find Ben Edge interesting. He's on Instagram, producing art relating to British folklore and traditions, and his calendar lists traditional events (like rolling the devil's stone) that you can attend.

Well, I'm the oldest generation in our family now and so it's been a while since I've been back but I'm sure I would.

I don't think I'd risk it! 😂

But rejecting indigenous cultures is also a political agenda too.

Im not sure where Celts are being linked to (modern) Templar knights😂🤦‍♀️ But again this falls to education

Thanks for sharing this, I will definitely take a look

Absolutely! Also I would think most in Wales have heard of Cantre’r Gwaelod, the legendary submerged kingdom, the Atlantis of Wales, in Cardigan Bay.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantre'r_Gwaelod

If you're interested in this type of thing can I recommend looking up Dr Martin Shaw? He's written books about storytelling and folklore and is himself an oral storyteller.

I saw him at the Union Chapel in London supporting an acoustic gig by Glen Hansard (Irish singer). He was on stage for 30 mins and told one, long story. Everyone was absolutely riveted and you could have heard a pin drop - except when we were laughing at the many funny parts. It was extraordinary.

https://drmartinshaw.com/about-martin-shaw/

Ah now that would be a dream, primary school lessons, with the kids round an open fire, hearing someone’s grand parent talk about local myths and legends

Yeah, agree (I'm also Irish). We still tell those stories and hang into those traditions. There's a wonderful dept of folklore in UCD.

Oh this sounds marvellous, we need more modern day bards

Absolutely agree op. Ever tried the trick of dowsing in a stone circle?
As for a humourously named legend from leafy Surrey....
www.rhuncovered.co.uk/the-legend-of-the-buckland-shag/

Uni of Herts did an MA in folklore. I’m assuming it’s still running?