The Four-Leaf Clover: Druids, Eden, and… Handbags?
Generally, clover represents protection, fertility and abundance, but where does the widespread belief in a four leaf clover’s good luck come from?
Said the Maiden: Folk Music and Shakespeare
2016 is the year of all-things Shakespeare, as the country gears up to celebrate the most famous playwright of all time. Here at #FolkloreThursday we are very pleased to welcome Jess, Hannah and Kathy from the up-and-coming folk group, Said the Maiden, to discuss their exciting bard-related plans for the months ahead. Q: Hello, […]
Why you need a bit of folklore in your life. Or feel the folklore fear and do it anyway…
Between St Distaff’s Day 2020 and Twelfth Night 2021, I practiced ritual year folklore every day, my experiences becoming Everyday Folklore: An Almanac for the ritual year, a practical guide on how to engage with folklore all year round.
Gallows, Germs, or God: Why is it Bad Luck to Put Shoes on the Table?
According to some, leaving shoes on the table is a harbinger of death. This originates from the practice of honouring fatalities in the mining industry.
Dumplings and Dragonboats: The Chinese Duan Wu Festival
When I was a little girl, I used to watch with open-mouthed admiration and puzzlement as my mother prepared the ingredients for the making of zong zi (rice wrapped in leaf). She would make a variety of fillings: sweet chestnuts, dried shrimp, pork meat, and mushrooms. There would be a lot of soaking, stewing and […]