The
Folk Traditions Store
In Savannah's Historic District
12 Price Street (1/2 block south of Bay Street). Phone: 912-341-8898.
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In Savannah's Historic District 12 Price Street (1/2 block south of Bay Street). Phone: 912-341-8898.
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The first question about any activity is what is the size of its seed or root? How common is it at its beginning? A very common activity requires little investment to begin. A rare one needs support. Scribbling is like the lichens that cover the rocks in a new ecosystem. Similarly, rambling, first person stories are like the mosses that return first after a fire. Just like ecological succession, the first practices to show up in a tradition are commonplace, disorganized and require little to survive. You can find them anywhere. We call them default practices — they "appear by default." In an ecosystem, the lichens get replaced by weeds, bushes, softwood trees and finally, by hardwoods. As you learn about a tradition, you replace early skills with more organized ones. In music, plucking harp strings and puffing on a flute flower into melodic phrases. Phrases bear fruit into songs. By the time that songs give way to styles, people will want to join you or listen to you perform. In graphic arts, scribbles get replaced by stick figures, sticks by curves and shading, flat objects by solid objects. For worthwhile activities, the succession takes years. If you see activities where the succession occurs in weeks, beware. The growth rate is so fast that it is dangerous. To understand why, click on significance. The greatest of modern artists have not forgotten their roots. They mix childlike skills with artistic qualities that no child can produce. The result can be playful, endearing, frightening, energetic and above all, compellingly attractive. Knowing the roots of a tradition, teaches you where to begin, what to replace and what has captured the imaginations of people over time. To learn more about the roots of a tradition, find books and videos related to its historical and geographic origins. We specialize in cultures present in Savannah's early years. These include the Native American, Colonial English, Irish, Jewish, and African peoples. |
Preserve a tradition. Grow roots, significance, harmony and balance.
Copyright © 2003-2005
The Folk Traditions Store, David Dirlam, Webmaster
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