Items and concepts go out of stock all the time, through the changing times and perceptions of life. Though something which is very scarcely given any mind is the fading of U.S. folklore from culture, literature, and society. A process which happens through the years, when folklore is essentially filtered and absorbed only to those few who are interested, and oftentimes gatekept in locality with where it may have originated–somewhat to a hindering degree of recognition. The notion of a decline in folklore across the states is one that signifies a loss of Americana and culture, as folklore and folklife have been crucial to many American regions since their beginnings. Though this decline is not definitively set in stone, there is still room for a rebound and revitalization. Hopefully there will be a wide recognition of Americana and folklore beyond sensationalism.
A key sentiment of modern and recognized American folklore is often the aspect of being a cryptid/urban myth. Many prominent folk tales cultivate a very specific feeling and vibe, typically including an otherworldly creature or event. This, of course, never ends with clarity. The fault within these tales is that they are sensationalized through the media, and the product of that creates tales which are more centered around vibes of Americana eeriness rather than reality or living culture. Even I admittedly find these tales charming to a large degree because of how they feel and seem through the imagination, rustic and quaint through the comforts of the woods–like a comfortable horror flick. If you were to ask me about one of my favourite American folktales, I’d tell you in a heartbeat that it’d be the Mothman: the ambivalent and enigmatic moth-man-like creature with red eyes. I love the Mothman with all my heart, and it is popular because it cultivates a certain tangibility and feeling which many find charming–though does the story of the Mothman have more substance than tales which are not sensationalized? The answer to that question would be no. The sensationalism behind Mothman, and often for many of the cryptid folktales of the U.S., is easily identifiable as a relatively shallow yet wide pool of interest. Through dissecting Mothman specifically, one can see the actual depth and relativism of the creature beyond its rustic-eerie charm. Especially when one realizes that there is no definitive moral or message behind many of the classical Mothman iterations of folklore. Opposed to traditional and older iterations of folklore, while often more obscure, cultivate a degree of depth through not only the tangible elements of their surroundings but also the messages in which they tell.
An instance of folklore which contains a message but also retains an absurdity to it, is the Irish folktale of Pat Diver. Which in summary is about a wandering man who seeks housing for the night, but is asked to tell a story as payment which he refuses to do. Then through the night he is forced by three lazy giants to do labor that would ultimately kill Pat Diver at the end of it all. Though sunrise came and Pat Diver was alive and free to escape, then a year later a man recognizes him and says “now you have a story to tell.” While exceptionally strange, there is a weird message in having a story to tell–and there is a sense of depth that can be dissected. Now admittedly, Irish folklore spans a far greater timespan than the existence of the U.S., but also spans a much smaller area– increasing the chance of retention of culture and stories through this locality. Though nonetheless the premise of folklore often does surround a message more than a rustic charm.
Over the summer, I researched the folklore of my new home, the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, and found that the existing records of folklore through the internet were limited at best. The majority of that limited information solely detailed the Jersey Devil. The Jersey Devil, while having a multitude of accounts and depth to the original story, is an example of a sensationalized folktale like the Mothman–and it’s sensationalized for good reason. Though beyond the accounts of the Jersey Devil, the accounts of much folklore from these pine woods are obscure and hard to get to. Many of these stories exist through small publishing houses, speculative books, and or existing through the stories of an old man who frequents the breadbox diner near the bay. It’s evident through both ghost towns and Pine Barrens scenery that many of these places had their own rich accounts. However, these folklores and troubles were forgotten or recorded with very little detail.. After all, the Pine Barrens used to be a place where bandits and unsavory folk resided, so the accounts of those woods were often fearful and mystical. But where are many of these accounts today?
A piece of folklore that’s been poorly recorded and shrouded in vagueness is the Black Dog of the Pine Barrens. The folktale is generally very self explanatory, a mystical Black Dog without any owner will appear to those worthy enough in the Pine Barrens, and will guide them to treasure or safety. It is speculated that it was once the dog of the Scottish pirate Captain Kidd, but it is also speculated that it’s a spirit of the woods and nature’s companionship manifested. I like to theorize that the spirit is one of European origin brought to America and change. In many European tales, the black dog is a symbol of ruin or evil–though in this case it is the inverse. While I find the anthropological sense of this tale interesting, I also find the fault in this tale the sheer lack of information surrounding this dog and the accounts around it. It leaves a lot to the imagination and speculation, which I am sure was not always the case. I hope that one day I will encounter the Black Dog to figure out the truth of the lore myself.
Ultimately, I feel that American folklore is often sensationalized which boosts the gaze on folklore to a transcontinental and state level. However, this sensationalism also causes the loss of folklore, as more local stories get less and less attention, even by the state’s own residents. This progressive loss is through the simple filtering of information with changing times, as information nowadays is not adequately translated from analog to the digital age. Overall, this is something solvable, and there is still hope for the old rooted culture in folklore–it just requires a bit of effort beyond sensationalized rumors and events.
Featured image by Ben Slyngstad on the Wikimedia Commons.
