What is Folklore?

Folklore is often mistaken as being the study of non-contemporary, primitive or simple cultures. In reality folklore is present in every culture and every setting. Folklore can exist in verbal, customary and material form. Folklore helps people understand behaviors, traditions and confirms one’s identity in a group. Folklore can consist of extensive sacred rituals such as communion or be a simple chant that a soccer team performs before every game. Most importantly “folklore is alive, developing, and changing in our lifetimes.”. (Sims & Stephens, 2011, p. 2”