Youth As Folk Culture
Diving into the folkloric traditions of youth culture, a case is made for protection of the traditions everyday young people have shaped in our shared culture and identity.
Text by Lisa Der Weduew | 13.01.23
There is the moment of quiet anticipation. A collective holding of the breath. Everyone plays their small part in this ritual, united through a collective understanding and purpose. The Morris Dancers take their first jump, the crowd drops with the beat, round the Maypole we go, friends sign off with a hand gesture. Whether you’re congregating in the community hall, heading to a sweaty basement venue or dancing in your teen bedroom, it’s hard not to see the continuum between folk culture and youth culture. Both speak of a tradition for the community, by the community, of building a shared story that gives us a sense of place. It is a culture filled with myths and legends that are passed down generations, constantly evolving.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary folklore is “The traditional beliefs, legends, and customs, current among the common people”. The subcultures forged by young people can be viewed as the rebellious sibling to more ancient traditions. Emerging in an inter- and post-war Britain marked by the devastation of war and entering an age of technological advancements, this was a new type of folklore fit for the times. Communities migrating to the UK from across the Commonwealth brought their own traditions that impacted these emergent cultures, from the sharp suits worn by rude boys to Punjabi folk music. What has emerged in the decades since is a new type of community tradition bubbling up from the street, characterised by the age of its participants.
You don’t have to dig deep to discover the folkloric aspects of youth and subcultures, from the urban legends about infamous gigs, to key cultural signifiers in the clothes and language teenagers use. Ask a mod about the colour of their socks, and a whole visual language will emerge. Listen to sounds from the Asian Underground and hear folk culture passed down generations and across continents to find themselves at the heart of new traditions. Try to keep up with the slang of teenagers and hear how it constantly evolves to set itself apart from the previous generation. You may look just as curiously at someone who has run down Cooper's Hill after a wheel of cheese as a metalhead emerging from a mosh pit - both will show off their bruises with pride.
All are signifiers of a community tradition, of where we’ve come from and where we now find ourselves. For those in the know, there is a nod of recognition as we spot another member. In some cases youth culture and folk customs blend seamlessly together. Head to Stonehenge for Summer Solstice and you’ll see Hippies dancing alongside Druids. Look back to the establishment of modern Druidry in the early 20th century, led by Chief Druid George Watson Macgregor Reid, an ancestor of punk aficionado Jamie Reid, and you will see reflected the counterculture of the time, complete with moral panic and sensational headlines.
"It speaks to a disregard for everyday cultures and community customs that are at the heart of our social fabric. The UK currently doesn’t have a permanent museum space dedicated to youth culture or to folklore - we are rectifying the former, and the emerging Museum of British Folklore the latter."
Over the last two decades there’s been growing recognition for these vital traditions that are at risk of being lost. Realising that our cultural history doesn’t just reside in historic buildings and objects of art and archaeology, in 2003 UNESCO started promoting the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage. It considers those cultural signifiers and living traditions that are instantly recognisable to the community they reside in, including “performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events.” Additions to the convention last year included the ‘practice of Modern Dance in Germany’ and the ‘artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread’, showing the breadth of the programme.
One could easily see the sound systems of Notting Hill Carnival or annual Castleton Garland Day in Derbyshire on the list, but sadly the UK is one of seventeen countries that didn’t sign up. It speaks to a disregard for everyday cultures and community customs that are at the heart of our social fabric. The UK currently doesn’t have a permanent museum space dedicated to youth culture or to folklore - we are rectifying the former, and the emerging Museum of British Folklore the latter. But you have to ask why it’s taken so long - the Museum of Childhood opened over a century ago in 1872.
Both folklore and youth culture are a reflection of society and the times we live in. The UK is currently in the midst of a rave and folk customs revival in a post-COVID world that seems increasingly uncertain. Both reflect the cathartic joy of being in a crowd, of experiencing a moment, finding a community and feeling connected. At its heart, folk culture is culture by the people, for the people. It responds to the times that we find ourselves in and provides a sense of identity, belonging and place that has profound impact. It is also a culture that is grassroots, vernacular and anyone can partake in. Preserving and championing these traditions for future generations will provide a space for more people to see themselves reflected in our social history. Together we can build our shared mythology.
