Folklore Commons^™

Ivey, Janice (Fa 1144), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1144. Student paper titled “Folklore Study: Paul Bunyan,” in which Janice Ivey collects traditional oral narratives relating to famed folk icon Paul Bunyan. Ivey, who gathered stories from family members, also touches briefly on the claims of authenticity surrounding Paul Bunyan and his relationship to lumber camps in the early 20^th century.

Lawless, Vickie (Fa 1143), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1143. Student paper titled “Steamboat Tales” in which Vickie Lawless describes the importance of riverboat commerce and transportation in Russell County, Kentucky from the early 19^th century through the mid-20^th century Lawless also discusses the three most common steamboats during this period, the Albany, the Burnside, and the Rowena, and the folklore surrounding their pilots, crews, and landing sites. Lawless collected her information from former riverboat captains, engine room workers, family members, and residents of river communities

Walker, Jane (Fa 1139), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1139. Student paper titled “Ghostlore” in Jane Walker collected supernatural stories, most of which had some form of local variant. Walker gathered tales from family and friends in person, over the phone, through written letters and recorded stories.

Walton, Robert H. (Fa 1141), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1141. Student paper titled “Collection of Death Beliefs” in which Robert Walton details various superstitions, practices, and assumptions concerned with death and dying. Walton gathered together stories and sayings from students on WKU’s campus, family, friends, and Bowling Green locals.

Butler, Beverly (Fa 1142), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1142. Student paper titled “The Supernatural” in which Beverly Butler collects personal encounter narratives relating to “ghosts, spirits, or hanks.” Butler collected her stories from family members and friends.

Laude, Jan (Fa 1140), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1140. Cassette recordings of the "Attunement for Healing" and "Exploring Your Dreams and ESP" conferences sponsored by the Edgar Cayce Association for Research and Enlightenment held in Virginia Beach, Virginia from 12 July 1981 to 24 July 1981. The recordings, collected by WKU folk studies graduate student Jan Laude, were used as source material for Laude’s Master’s thesis titled “A Contemporary Female Psychic: A Folkloristic Study of a Traditional Occupation,” which was published in 1982. Because the Department does not have consent forms or own copyright to these tapes, they may be used …

Clarke, Kenneth Wendell, 1917-2012 (Mss 635), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 635. Manuscripts, notes, publisher’s correspondence, and photographs relating to the scholarly work of WKU English and folklore professor Kenneth W. Clarke, principally "Bud Long: The Birth of a Kentucky Folk Legend" and "The Harvest and the Reapers." Also includes reel-to-reel tape discussing home burial and casket - coffins, African American discussing race relations, singing in Barren County, Kentucky. See also digitized reel-to-reel tape T (T) -7-71-16 discussing cockfighting.

Clayton, Louis Craig (Fa 1138), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1138. Student paper titled “The Harpending House” in which Louis Craig Clayton details the history related to theconstruction of Asbury Harpending’s sprawling mansion built near Eddy Creek in Princeton, Kentucky in 1873. Harpending, known for his financial exploits along the western coast of the United States, spent more than $65,000 to build the estate which featured more than 20 rooms, a swimming pool, gas heating, and indoor plumbing. In his paper, Clayton speaks with Mrs. Eldred, a leading historian at Princeton and wife to John Eldred. Harpending’s great-nephew. Clayton also speaks with Ina …

Ramsey, Bonita (Fa 1136), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1136. Student paper titled “Proverbs and Comparisons” in which Bonita Ramsey arranges proverbs alphabetically by keyword. Ramsey gathered her information from family members, friends at WKU’s Downing University Center and at a private dormitory, the College Inn, and from visitors at work.

Herndon, Bernice (Fa 1135), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1135. Student paper titled “Negro Spirituals” in which Bernice Herndon gathers together 21 hymns sung by congregants at several African American Baptist churches located in Bowling Green. Herndon also collected spirituals from family, friends, and neighbors.

An Adventure Concerning Identity: The Use Of Folklore And The Folkloresque In Murakami’S Hitsuji Wo Meguru Bōken (A Wild Sheep Chase) To Construct A Post-Colonial Identity, Jessica Alice Krawec

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis examines the use of folklore and the folkloresque in Haruki Murakami’s novel Hitsuji wo meguru bōken, or, as it is translated by Alfred Birnbaum, A Wild Sheep Chase. Murakami blends together Japanese and Western folklore to present a Japan that has been colonized by a post-national, global capitalistic force. At the same time, Murakami presents a strategy to resist this colonizing force by placing agency onto the individual and suggesting that it is still possible to craft a meaningful identity within the Japanese/Western blended, globalized society in which these individuals now exist.

Alongside examining the use of folklore …

On Being Trans: Narrative, Identity, Performance, And Community, Chloe Jo Brown

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This thesis focuses on various topics related to transgender identity and culture. Through a combination of ethnographic and secondary research, I studied transgender coming out narratives, trans media representation, transgender performance and identity, and conceptualizations of group and chosen family in a community of trans students, the WKU Transgender and Non-Binary Student Group.

The three chapters of my thesis address some of the traditional milestones of a trans person’s acculturation: coming out, constructing one’s newly discovered trans identity, and finding community. Chapter 1 explores coming out as transgender, and the way in in which coming out is valued and discussed …

Classroom Cannibal: A Guide On How To Teach Ojibwe Spirituality Using The Windigo And Film, Brady Desanti

Journal of Religion & Film

This paper is intended as a pedagogical guide on how to teach elements of Ojibwe religious and philosophical beliefs using the windigo and its depictions in the films Wendigo and Ravenous. The windigo complex is exceedingly complex and remains an enduring component to the cultures of Ojibwe and several other Algonquian-speaking communities in the United States and Canada. While the windigo enjoys exposure in a variety of popular entertainment sources, film remains one of the most useful methods to incorporate in the classroom to help students comprehend how an anthropophagus “monster” directly relates to Ojibwe ideas of personal balance, …

Archbold, Annie And Barbara Dubczak (Fa 379), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 379. A reel-to-reel audiotape recording of a program titled “Documents in Sound: A Sample in Folk Arts,” which was sponsored by the Barren River Regional Arts Council with funds from the Kentucky Folklife Foundation. According to the tape summary, the program includes five separate features, which can be played as individual vignettes or as a full 29-minute program. Features include traditional artists and cover topics such as woodworking, broom making, basket making, weaving, and drawn work.

Collins, Sara (Fa 1134), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1134. Student paper titled “Ghost Stories on a College Campus” in which Sara Collins gathers together tales of the supernatural. Collins places the stories into four main categories: “true” (classic), “memorate” (personal experiences), “regional” (local), and “other campuses.” Stories were collected by Collins from friends and fellow classmates.

Thomas, Fonda (Fa 1133), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1133. Student paper titled “Tombstone Motifs” in which Fonda Thomas documents cemeteries in southern Warren County—specifically Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church, Hardshell Baptist Church, and Old Union Missionary Baptist Church—to describe popular carvings found on gravestones. Thomas, who has familial ties to two of the church cemeteries, describes motifs such as rosebuds, doves, and variations of hands and offers possible theories as to the meaning of each. The collection also includes crayon rubbings of tombstones, which have been placed in a folder separate from the paper.

Nicks, Sarah Elizabeth (Fa 1132), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1132. Student paper titled “Quilting: Past and Present” in which Sarah Nicks details the components of traditional quilt making. Nicks discusses piecing together patterns and the various motivations behind quilting. Information was collected by Nicks from family and friends. The collection contains color photographs of handmade quilts, a questionnaire related to quilting practices, and a sample piece of a quilt patch.

Community Heritage Day - Bowling Green, Kentucky (Fa 1130), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1130. Collection contains flyers and digital photographs taken at the Community Heritage Day event held on 4 November 2017 at the Kentucky Building in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The event—sponsored by the Kentucky Folklife Program, WKU Library Special Collections, the Kentucky Museum, and a National Endowment for the Humanities Common Heritage grant—invited the general public to bring in items that were “significant to your family or our community story.” Materials were digitized, uploaded onto flash drives, and given to participants for personal, long-term accessibility. Note that Item 29 and Item 30 are duplicate images.

Kentucky Women In Agriculture (Mss 611), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Project 611. Minutes, financial records, conference handouts, and newsletters related to Kentucky Women in Agriculture, an awareness and support group for women farmers in the Commonwealth. Also includes interviews with members and digital images of members.

Miles, Marshall (Fa 1105), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1105. Student paper titled “Traditional Housing and Other Material Culture Forms in Monroe Co[unty], Kentucky” in which Marshall Miles offers an in-depth examination of vernacular architecture throughout the county. Miles briefly discusses the agricultural history of the region, which had an influence on the styles of folk structures being built, as well as the roles of aesthetics, function, and natural materials throughout the construction process. Miles collected data from close family and friends. The paper, which Miles refers to as a “study,” also includes black and white photographs of various barns and cabins …

Cederquist, Nancy (Fa 378), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

FFinding aid and full-text scan of paper (Click on “Additional Files” below) for Folklife Archives Project 378. Multiple interviews with Mrs. James Hall conducted by Nancy Cederquist on 22 February 1985, 1 April 1985, and 22 April 1985. Hall, a resident of Bowling Green, discusses her passion for quilting, her preferred patterns, fabric care, and her experiences with a local quilting group.

Conaster, Victoria (Fa 377), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 377. Interview with Joe H. Page conducted by Victoria Conaster on 3 April 1993. Page, a resident of Lewisburg, discusses his childhood memories of growing up on a tenant farm. Topics covered include tobacco harvests and sales, pest control, traditional farm lore, home remedies and religious life.

Cervelli, Luanne Beth (Fa 376), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 376. Interview with John Buell Edmonds conducted by LuAnne Beth Cervelli on 18 September 1988. Edmonds, a notable gospel singer from Bowling Green, Kentucky discusses his experiences performing gospel music, his involvement in recording and promoting gospel groups, his relationship with the local choir, and the current state of gospel music.

Thomas, Norman (Fa 1129), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1129. Paper titled “Traditional Recipes” in which Norman Thomas details how to prepare various dishes ranging from opossum and porcupine to maple syrup and molasses taffy. Paper is based on information collected by Thomas from close relatives and family friends.

Gillan, Robert Lee, 1916-2009 (Sc 3183), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3183. Letter, 7 August 2006, of Robert Lee Gillan, Thorntown, Indiana, to Martha Harrison. He refers to his interest in genealogy and relates anecdotes about “Aunt Nancy,” an African American woman and caregiver to local families in Barren County, Kentucky. He includes particulars of some of her household advice, folk medicinal treatments and beliefs. He notes that she is buried in Lyons (Lyon) Cemetery.

Toadvine, Michael W. (Fa 1128), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1128. Student paper titled “Traditional American Tools” in which Michael Toadvine describes agricultural implements utilized by members of the Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill. Toadvine’s collected the bulk of his information from Nancy Shewmaker, a resident of Harrodsburg and tour guide at Pleasant Hill. The paper includes black and white photographs of different tools as well as brief descriptions of use and design.

Brooks, Heather-Kristen (Fa 374), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text scan of paper (Click on “Additional Files” below) for Folklife Archives Project 374. Student oral history project titled “The Effects of Logan County School Consolidations on the Students of Lewisburg and the Community” in which Heather-Kristen Brooks conducts research on the centralization of five county schools in 1983. Brooks’ two informants touch on issues of race, extracurricular activities, athletics, and behavioral norms. Collection contains one paper, two indexes and transcripts, and two cassette tapes.

Pendleton, Darlene (Fa 1127), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1127. Student paper titled “The Art of Lace Making” in which Darlene Pendleton details the challenges and intricacies of braiding, lace making, knotting, and tatting. Pendleton, a student in the Textiles, Clothing, and Merchandising program at WKU, collected her data from two home economics teachers and one university instructor. The paper contains biographies of each informant, illustrations of patterns and designs, and samples of handiwork.

Allen, David (Fa 368), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 368. Interview with Annie Duvall conducted by David Allen on 16 April 1998. Duvall discusses her personal experiences growing up in Muhlenberg County. Topics covered include dating, marriage, gardening, family vacations, religion, women’s rights, and changes in modern technologies.

Miller, Marcia (Fa 1126), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Folklife Archives Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Folklife Archives Project 1126. Student paper titled “Farm Methods” in which Marcia Miller speaks with Henry Oliphant, a Bowling Green, Kentucky, native, about traditional farming practices . Topics covered include raising tobacco, harvesting hay, clearing top fields, and breaking new ground. Paper includes typed transcript of recorded interview.