Go to the west!: US folklore

I was on the edge of the earth.
I was on the edge of the waters.
I was on the edge of the sky.
I was on the edge of the mountains.
I have not found anyone who would not be my friend.

Indians and Eskimos, as the very first inhabitants, were hunters and fishermen, real warriors. And therefore, their fairy tales mainly tell about bold and smart wars that can get out of any situation.

Each nation (and there were about 18 before the arrival of Europeans) had their own heroes and fairy tales. For example, the people of Ozhibwe, who lived on the territory of Michigan, had a fairy tale about Manabozo, who was popularly nicknamed the “smart simpleton”. He was the son of the moon and taught people hunting and agriculture. Or Wihio, who leaked an evil owl with a lump of resin. The Indians also have a fairy tale “Why Alabam was nicknamed Alabama”. In it you can find out that the word “Alabama” in Indian means “we-stand-here”.

The Eskimos has a story about Nanuk – the owner of the bears who decided whether the hunter was violated by the taboo and deserves success in his hunt. In this fairy tale, Nanuk helped a hunter named Uluksak, who drifted on an ice floe.

American folklore

The Americans are divided into several types of Folocor: Songs and stories during the war for independence, the history of the time of the frontier, folklore cowboys, fairy tales of the south And Songs of the times of “gold fever”. In English, there is a phrase to refer to something primordially folk “Grass Roots”, What does it mean “Roots of grass”.

Tales and songs of the war for independence

During the war for independence (the confrontation of Great Britain and loyalists, people who were loyal to the British government, and 13 British colonies led by George Washington, who wanted independence from Britain), all legends and songs were mainly based on real events. Such events were: 1) the infamous “Witches hunting”, arranged by fanatics from Salem, Massachusetts; 2) the order of Britain in 1770, according to which all imported tea was paid for payment, because of which the Bostonians in Indian costumes (allegory for the fact that they are indigenous inhabitants) threw all the tea into the sea, etc.D. These events are reflected in a fairy tale about Grace Sherwood, which was almost burned because of the “Relations with the Devil” and also the famous poem “Revolutionary Tea”, based on the famous “Boston tea party”.

Also at this time, stories appeared about two glorious and brave ladies: about the black mother Kat and the white -skinned Egnes Gobson. In different periods of time, these girls saved the famous Captain Hood.

This period is also famous https://sistersitescasino.co.uk/casinos/starspins-casino/ for the appearance of the word “Yankees”. About how these words appeared, many are still arguing. Some say that it appeared as a result of the incorrect pronunciation of the word “English” (it sounded like “Yingiz” and gradually turned into “Yankens”), others believe that it was a teasing of the Dutch “Jan Kiz”, which meant “John Cheese”.

Also at this time there is a legend about the great jump in the field of Revir, who was the first to report the beginning of the war for independence (it began on April 6, 1775).

Fairy tales and legends of the times of the frontier

What is it “Frontir”? “Frontir” (in English. “Frontier” – “border”) – the zone of development of the Wild West, located on the territory of the modern states of the North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Vaiming, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, which gradually expanded and moved west until the Pacific coast. And because of this, cultural ideals gradually began to change-from the independence of the nation to the independence of the personality. Therefore, the image of a cowboy – a person who acts for himself, crossing the line of the law came to the forefront.

At the same time, real heroes began to appear, who later became folklorized. They became Daniel Boon and David Crocket.

Bun was a famous hunter and a ranger, for a long time sat in the Virzhinsky Genassemblei and was captured by the Indians. He had land, but because of intrigues and suspicions of treason (counted for the spy of Britain). As a result, Daniel threw everything and moved to Missouri, where he died a year later.

Devid’s life is so confusing that it is very difficult to distinguish, where is the truth and where is fiction. Was illiterate and at an early age knew labor. In 1820, Devid was admitted to the Legislative Assembly of Tennesshei, and a little later – to the US Congress itself. After 15 years, he loses in the elections and moves along with friends to Texas, where he dies during a skirmish with the Mexicans.

There are also many other heroes: this is Mike Fink, who defeated Davi Crokete in the shooting competition, and Pecos Bill, who was the first to saddle the tornado and invented Lasso. Also, the heroes can be ranked by Paul Banyan, who painted Grand Canyon, and the “kindest cowboy” Johnny apple granny.

The most famous fairy tale of that period is Washington and Cherry Tree telling about George Washington’s childhood. Even about his friend, an outstanding politician and Dr. Benjamin Franklin, there are small stories.

Mythology of the South and the History of the Civil War in the United States

Many began to represent the south as the edge of the aristocrats who are sitting in the gazebo and in a soft voice talk about something of their own. However, in fact, the slave trade flourished in the south, on which the plantatorium was held, since only in the south there were cotton plantations.

In 1860, President Abraham Lincoln moved from southerners in 1860. After his victory, the Americans began to call him the “second god”, since he put forward his legendary “13th amendment”, which once and for all abolished slavery.

What about folklore, then it deeply goes into the terrible medieval tales of the French, Spaniards and Irish.

The most famous fairy tale of southerners is “Dikoni’s girlfriend” – about the old man who had a girlfriend in the face of fish. Many people know this fairy tale of the cartoon from “Funny Carousel”.

Folklore of blacks

The history of the United States is inextricably linked with the slave trade. During the Civil War between the North and the South, almost no one respected blacks. And only after the “13th amendment” of Lincoln, the Belog was returned to the soul. During all this time, they have its own folklore. It was sung in it, how difficult it is to work in factories to work in factories.

One of the main characters Folklore and blacks became a long John Liberator – a slave who forever saved the blacks from an evil owner.

In the 30s and 40s of the XX century, against the backdrop of great depression and racial wars, blacks tried to defend their rights in every way. The most famous examples are Jackie Robinson – the first black in the history of Basbola, who played in the same team with white. It is also Hatti McDeniel – the first black actress who received an Oscar in 1940 for the cult film “Failed by the Wind”.

Summing up, we can say that the American people made a great contribution to the development of their culture. Even in the Soviet Union, despite ideological and political differences, people loved and respect the culture and hardworking people of America. Regarding the features, we can conclude that the culture of America is based on independence: in the first years of its existence – independence as a nation, and in the subsequent – independence as a person.