Project MUSE®: Journal of Folklore Research - Latest Articles
https://muse.jhu.edu/journal/223
Project MUSE®: Latest articles in Journal of Folklore Research.daily12026-05-12T00:00:00-05:00text/htmlen-USVol. 40 (2003) through current issueLatest Articles: Journal of Folklore ResearchTWOProject MUSE®Journal of Folklore Research1543-04130737-7037Latest articles in Journal of Folklore Research. Feed provided by Project MUSE®Presence and the “Work” of Cultural Transmission in Folklore Studies
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/988337
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In Yushu City, the seat of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Norbu, a former monk-turned-artist and entrepreneur, sits in a small workshop with his wife, brother, and cousin, creating filigree Buddhist art. As a youth he had been trained in the family trade of traditional Buddhist thangka painting but later gave it up for the more innovative (and potentially lucrative) work of filigree, which he learned at a workshop run by Han Chinese artists. Like many in the rapidly developing region of Yushu, Norbu is an active businessman. He owns a travel business aimed at foreign tourists (which has largely dried up since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019) and sells his own label of Tibetan products like
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Project MUSE®https://muse.jhu.edu/2026-05-12T00:00:00-05:00https://muse.jhu.edu/journal/223/image/coversmallPresence and the “Work” of Cultural Transmission in Folklore Studies2026-04-16text/htmlen-USPresence and the “Work” of Cultural Transmission in Folklore Studies2026-04-162026TWOProject MUSE®1117442026-05-12T00:00:00-05:002026-04-16Making Grace Sherwood the Witch of Pungo: Legend Entrepreneurs and the Development of Virginia Folklore
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/988338
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There is a statue of Grace Sherwood on the grounds of a hospital near the Witch Duck Point neighborhood in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Even though it is in a congested part of the city, the life-sized statue is easy to miss unless someone is intentionally looking for it. It depicts Sherwood in the modest garb of a colonial farmer’s wife, holding a bushel of herbs with a racoon pawing at her skirt. Sherwood’s face is downturned, depicting a beautiful but burdened woman. A plaque on the right side of the statue’s small base offers insight into her mournful expression. It explains that in 1706 Sherwood was accused of witchcraft and subjected to a trial by water, colloquially referred to as a “ducking.” County officials
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Project MUSE®https://muse.jhu.edu/2026-05-12T00:00:00-05:00https://muse.jhu.edu/journal/223/image/coversmallMaking Grace Sherwood the Witch of Pungo: Legend Entrepreneurs and the Development of Virginia Folklore2026-04-16text/htmlen-USMaking Grace Sherwood the Witch of Pungo: Legend Entrepreneurs and the Development of Virginia Folklore2026-04-162026TWOProject MUSE®1726032026-05-12T00:00:00-05:002026-04-16Dressed in Power: Sexuality, Race, and the Spirit of the Virgin Mary and/or the “Indian Lady”
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/988339
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La Divina Pastora is a dark-complexioned statuary image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the patroness saint of Siparia, a Roman Catholic parish, located in the southern part of the island of Trinidad (see Figure 1). I first encountered this Madonna in 2003 during fieldwork for my dissertation. The dissertation addressed the question of how Trinidad and Tobago had taken a relatively stable path La Divin / Siparee Mai. Photograph by author.of development, retaining social integration and democratic political institutions despite the recurring escalation of tension among ethnic groups (Tsuji 2006). The ethnic diversity and social coherence in this Caribbean country piqued my interest as a doctoral student in
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Project MUSE®https://muse.jhu.edu/2026-05-12T00:00:00-05:00https://muse.jhu.edu/journal/223/image/coversmallDressed in Power: Sexuality, Race, and the Spirit of the Virgin Mary and/or the “Indian Lady”2026-04-16text/htmlen-USDressed in Power: Sexuality, Race, and the Spirit of the Virgin Mary and/or the “Indian Lady”2026-04-162026TWOProject MUSE®1857372026-05-12T00:00:00-05:002026-04-16The Colors of Spring: Communal Agency and the Multisensoriality of Holi
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/988340
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At 11:00 a.m., it seems like the whole village has finally woken up.I am in Barwa village, seated on the rooftop of my host’s home. Surrounded by fertile farmlands, this settlement is a stone’s throw from the Tilawe river, and about a twenty-minute walk from Bindabasini Temple, a goddess shrine and a popular landmark. A bike ride of about fifteen minutes away is Birgunj, a metropolitan economic and trade hub, and one of southern Nepal’s fastest-growing cities.It looks like today is going to be sunny. I think to myself, “Were it foggy and chilly like yesterday, we wouldn’t be able to celebrate.” The festival of Holi is a harbinger and celebration of the beloved season of spring. The clear sunny skies this morning
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Project MUSE®https://muse.jhu.edu/2026-05-12T00:00:00-05:00https://muse.jhu.edu/journal/223/image/coversmallThe Colors of Spring: Communal Agency and the Multisensoriality of Holi2026-04-16text/htmlen-USThe Colors of Spring: Communal Agency and the Multisensoriality of Holi2026-04-162026TWOProject MUSE®973192026-05-12T00:00:00-05:002026-04-16Grief-Free Recipes of Aşure: The (Dis)Inclusion of Alevis in Turkey’s Muharrem Commemoration
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/988341
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In 2019, CarrefourSA, a partnership between the French retailer Carrefour and the Turkish company Sabancı Holding, released an advertisement featuring aşure, a special dish that consists of various grains, nuts, and fruits and is cooked across the Muslim world during the sacred month of Muharrem. In the advertisement, first, a komşu teyze, or neighbor auntie, figure appears—an older woman who often plays a maternal or grandmotherly role and emphasizes community and neighborly bonds. The commercial begins with a question: “Do you know what aşure is?” While small aşure bowls are distributed among neighbors, the narrator’s voice, accompanied by a cheerful song, gently guides our thoughts:The bowl of porridge is proof
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Project MUSE®https://muse.jhu.edu/2026-05-12T00:00:00-05:00https://muse.jhu.edu/journal/223/image/coversmallGrief-Free Recipes of Aşure: The (Dis)Inclusion of Alevis in Turkey’s Muharrem Commemoration2026-04-16text/htmlen-USGrief-Free Recipes of Aşure: The (Dis)Inclusion of Alevis in Turkey’s Muharrem Commemoration2026-04-162026TWOProject MUSE®1028162026-05-12T00:00:00-05:002026-04-16