An Introduction to Human Geography The Cultural Landscape, 8e James M. Rubenstein

Folk and Popular Culture

PPT by Abe Goldman

 From the Latin word, cultus, which means “to care for” which implies:   “to take care of” (cultivate)… material wealth including food, clothing, shelter, expressions of art, history and folklore “to care about” (cult)… customary ideas, beliefs, communication, attitudes, perceptions and values derived from language, religion and ethnicity  The body of customary beliefs, material traits and social forms that together constitute the distinct tradition of a group of people

LANGUAGE HOLIDAYS ARTS HISTORY FOODS FOLKLORE COMMUNICATIONS BELIEFS ATTITUDES VALUES PERCEPTIONS

 Often occurs because of violation of an unspoken and unseen culture norm of the group  Some aspects of culture are not readily perceived by those outside the culture group

 Origin of folk and popular cultures FOLK – often anonymous hearths on unknown dates and originators POPULAR – most often hierarchical diffusion from MDCs to the globe, product of technology and leisure time  Origin of folk music   Composed anonymously and transmitted orally Content: derived from daily life, tells a story  Origin of popular music    Commercial endeavor, mass produced Developed in NYC (Tin Pan Alley), music halls NYC South Bronx, hip hop since 1970s, 1980s to pop culture – elements of folk culture

Fig. 4-2: Writers and publishers of popular music were clustered in Tin Pan Alley in New York City in the early twentieth century. The area later moved north from 28th Street to Times Square.

Fig. 4-1: U.S. country music has four main hearths, or regions of origin: southern Appalachia, central Tennessee and Kentucky, the Ozark-Ouachita uplands, and north-central Texas.

Fig. 4-3: This mental map places major hip hop performers near other similar performers and in the portion of the country where they performed.

 Diffusion of folk and popular cultures  Popular Culture – hierarchical diffusion – MDC nodes out  Folk Culture – relocation diffusion - people migration  The Amish: Relocation diffusion        of folk culture Maintain traditional lifestyle Farm communities ≈70,000 (.03% of US population) 17 states (1 community in Sarasota) Originated from Switzerland, France & Germany To US/Canada: Pennsylvania 1700s; Ohio, Illinois, Iowa and Ontario 1800s Need for land (son’s inherit) and urban sprawl adds to migration today

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Diffusion of folk and popular cultures

Can originate as folk culture activity  Sports: Hierarchical diffusion of popular culture  Folk Culture Origin of Soccer (football)  Earliest documented: England 11 th century     Standardized rules in the 12 th century Banned late 12 th century – legalized 1603 Globalization of Soccer  Began 1800s with increased leisure time and disposable income  1863 formal professional leagues formed… popular culture Sports in Popular Culture  Each country has preferred sports

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Isolation promotes cultural diversity

 Himalayan art  Art influences  Culture: daily routine and religious beliefs  Environment: climate, landforms & vegetation Buddists – China (Tibet) Paintings: Idealized divine figures (monks/saints) some bizarre or terrifying perhaps reflecting the harsh environ Muslims - Pakistan Paintings: plants and flowers Muslims prohibits display of animated objects Hindu - India Paintings: everyday life & deities in domestic scenes & the region’s violent climatic conditions

Fig. 4-5: Cultural geographers have identified four distinct culture regions based on predominant religions in the Himalaya Mountains.

Animists – Myanmar systems (Burma) SE Asia Paintings: symbols and designs based on belief

 Influence of the physical environment Food, clothing & shelter choices folk society adaptations often responsive to environ due to lower technology base Environment only one factor of culture development  Distinctive food preferences  Plants and animals    Cooking methods dependent on fuel supplies A persons dress, manners and speech may alter due to migration or other culture influence but food habits often continue Food choice or taboo based on perceived benefits or harm  Taboo – any restriction on behavior imposed by social custom

Fig. 4-6: Annual hog production is influenced by religious taboos against pork consumption in Islam and other religions. The highest production is in China, which is largely Buddhist.

Fig. 4-7: Houses and sleeping positions are oriented according to local customs among the Lao in northern Laos (left) and the Yuan and Shan in northern Thailand (right).

Fig. 4-8: Four communities in western China all have distinctive house types.

Fig. 4-9: Distinct house types originated in three main source areas in the U.S. and then diffused into the interior as migrants moved west.

Fig. 4-10: Four main New England house types of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries diffused westward as settlers migrated.