What Folklore Teaches Us About Traveling the World

Today, I was studying for my master’s thesis and preparing for particular projects. Then something came to mind: “Why is studying folklore important in traveling?” Many of you might be thinking, “Folklore? I’m not traveling to learn about people’s stories.” That is what many of us believe folklore is about, but in reality, it’s not just stories passed down by a community. Folklore’s definition has evolved over the years, but in my own simplification of it, folklore refers to a set of beliefs, art traditions, tales, and knowledge passed down by word of mouth within a community or folk group. If the community agrees upon it, then it is part of the group consciousness, and unlike written works, traditions change through individuals and communities.

Pictorial quilt by Harriet Powers made in 1895

Quilting is a form of folk art and is involved in a large part of African American folklore, especially in the South. It utilizes everyday materials and is passed down from one generation to the next. However, many African American quilts, unlike their European counterparts, reflect a distinct African influence in their design patterns. They also used quilts for storytelling, as the one above showcases Biblical imagery showing a story.

 Every day we continue to live is another day of learning folklore. For example, amongst African Americans, folklore can be as simple as the unique handshakes that we have. If one knows something like this, it makes it easier for people to resonate and bring you into their world. It makes it easier for Afro-globalists like myself to connect with other African peoples on the continent or in the diaspora.

I recall when I visited Senegal in 2022, I spoke to a friend of mine about how in the African American community in the South, we say that anyone born with a caul or veil (the amniotic sac) intact is a “double sighter,” meaning they can see spirits and have out-of-body experiences. She spoke to her brother in Wolof about this and said, “We have something like this, but say that they are born with their own jinn (an Islamic term concerning spirits outside of Angels can be good or evil).” I looked into some older records from African Americans, and there were similar statements about those born with the veil having spirits surrounding them all the time. This knowledge connected us as cousins from across the ocean. This type of knowledge makes it easy for us to connect with each other.

Graffiti in Senegal close by Keur Gorgui in Dakar (From my 2022 trip)

Graffiti is a form of folklore that comes from Hip-Hop culture but has spread around the globe by way of Rap as a global phenomenon.

Folklore is not limited to traditions of the past that continue in the present. Folklore is constantly being invented and renewed amongst people. Folklore is digital, so many of us are already sharing folk groups with people online. These folk groups could create ridiculous legends that people believe in or even a set of beliefs and traditions that have made their way online and spread globally. Many folk groups are created every day on social media. You are probably already part of one yourself.

You do not have to study folklore for a degree like me, but you can learn about another person’s folk traditions to resonate and connect with them wherever you go as a world traveler.