Scholarly Article
The Power of the Weak: on Worthiness of Elders in Folk Culture
Kalniuk, Tomasz
2013-01-01 · Poznańskie Studia Slawistyczne · Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan
Abstract
The folk culture from the turn of the 20th century was founded on the mythical paradigm. Its specific feature was an opposition between the self and the other. It had ambivalent influence on those people and places which, due to actual or perceptual reasons, were placed on the margin of the mainstream of life. This includes, among others, the elders. On the one hand, they were treated by the community with reluctance, or even aggression, because of their decrepitude. On the other hand, they were respected as guards of traditions, and intermediaries with the supernatural, who possessed a portion of its potential.
Keywords
borders, elders, folk culture, myth, old age, others, sacrum, supernatural
Citation Details
Poznańskie Studia Slawistyczne