where is folk culture clustered?

Where is Folk

Culture Clustered?

Key Issue #2

Clus

terin

g of

Folk

Cultu

res How isolation promotes cultural

diversityHimalayan ArtThe influence of the physical environmentDistinctive food

preferencesFolk housingU.S. folk house forms

We will examine….

INFL

UENC

E OF

THE

PH

YSIC

AL

ENVI

RONM

ENT

Recall that environmental

determinists theorized how

processes in the environment

cause social customs.Not sound theory – people in

very similar places have very

different cultures. Sometimes,

people live in extremely different

environments, but have similar

cultures.

Himalayan Folk Cultural Regions

How did the folk art of groups in close proximity to one another differ? Why?

Traditional Vegetable Garden, Istanbul

Food

Pre

fere

nces

Humans eat plants and animals

(living things)Inhabitants must consider the soil,

climate, and terrain in deciding

what to grow. Vidal de la Blache :“Among the connections that tie

people to a certain environment,

one of the most tenacious is food

supply…”People adapt their food preferences

to conditions in the environment.

Ex: fuel shortages in Italy = quick

frying, abundance of fuel in Northern

Europe = slow roasting and stewing.

Sene

gal F

amily

Lunc

h

Terroir- The contribution of a location’s distinctive physical features to the way food tastes

Food

Tabo

os

Eating Insects!

People may desire of avoid

certain foods in response to perceived beneficial or harmful

natural traits

According to National Geographic’s “Food Taboos: It’s All a Matter ofTaste”…Examples from your textbook

Jewish and Kosher foodsMuslims and porkIndians and beef

Hog Production & Food Cultures

Peter MenzelPhotographs of

Food

Building materials are influenced by what is available– highly tied to environmentWood and brick are the 2 most

common globally.Glass, stone, sod, bamboo, and

skins also used.Wood is most preferred b/c it is

easy to work with. Available pre-

cut in MDC’s.Dry areas (China, Mexico) use

sun baked bricks.Stone in South America or Europe.

Folk

Hous

ing

FOLK HOUSING Usually does little to effect the environment or landscape and serves a purely functional purpose

House Types in Western China

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

Kashgar House, western China

Kashgar houses have second floor open-air patios, trees planted around house because soil is moist, unlike other dryer parts of China

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2310/1667517410_6b429fb58d.jpg

Dunhuang House, central/western China

Dunhuang houses have walled central courtyards, covered with an open air grape arbor. Allows for air movement but Provides shade from intense summer heat/light. Roof is slanted to catch Rainfall in this wet climate area.

Turpan House, western China

Turpan is located in a deep valley with little open land. There are open courtyards for social gatherings. Second stories are avoided because of strong winds

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/2304306.jpg

Yinchuan House, Central/Eastern China

Yinchuan houses are built around large open courtyards which provide seclusion from outsiders, a folk housing characteristicof Muslim families in China.

Building igloos

Thatch & mud huts

The Lao people of Northern Laos

The form of house and orientation may have influence from customary beliefs or environmental factors…

Arrange beds perpendicular to the center ridgepole of the

houseSleep with their heads to neighbors heads and feet to feet

so as not to disrespect Fronts of houses face the fronts of other house along a

path.

The Yuan and Shan of Northern Thailand

Sleep with their heads to the East, the direction of good spirits.

Houses are NOT set in straight lines because of the idea

that evil spirits travel in a straight line. Ridgepoles parallel

the path.

Diffu

sion

of

Hous

e Ty

pes i

n U.

S.

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.

Mid-Atlantic Housing in PA

Diffusion of New England House Types Diffusion of New

England house typesThese 4 types were popular in

the 18 th and 19 th century. As settlers migrated, they carried memories

of familiar house types with them and built similar structures on the frontier.