Working on a folk tale based project with the Special Collections and Archives team was one of the many amazing aspects of my role as a ‘Libraries, Museums, and Galleries Student Partner’ this academic year. Folk tales are a type of story passed down through oral storytelling. Somewhere along the line, some of these tales were collected and published into folk tale collections. I was lucky enough to be able to explore Special Collections and Archives’ own collection, used regularly in the module ‘Children’s Literature’ (ENGL373), and curate a digital exhibition of these called ‘Around the World in 20 Folk Tales’. I particularly focused on the representation of Romani folk tales throughout this project.
Folk tales and archives were areas I was rather unfamiliar with to begin with, so my journey began with research. I read a range of folk tales as well as general information about the genre. The characteristics of folk tales differ from other tales – unlike novels or short stories, folk tales are often presented as factual accounts. This ‘truthful’ telling, though often dealing with elements of fantasy, is a defining characteristic. Folk tales communicate morals through metaphors, often based around truth and kindness. Main characters may include gods, talking animals, nature, or ghosts. I personally found the Japanese folk tales very interesting – rich in themes related to nature, the supernatural, loyalty and moral lessons, these were captivating yet slightly disturbing, reinforcing clear morals such as the punishment of evil.
I also focused my research on Dora Yates (1879–1974), who in many respects was the catalyst for this project. Yates’ ties to the university, particularly Special Collections, were long-standing and influential – from 1903 until after her retirement. Romani lore and language were Yates’ lifelong interests and she was a major figure in the Gypsy Lore Society – a group interested in the songs, stories and language of the Romany Gypsies. Her love for folk tales is shown through her own collection of books: many of the folk tale books in Special Collections and Archives are decorated with her inscriptions. Yates, who was fluent in many dialects of Romani, has also retold some favourites herself in A Book of Gypsy Folk Tales (1948), featured in the exhibition. I also read Romani-centred perspectives on the Gypsy Lore Society – I found Ken Lee’s paper Orientalism and Gypsylorism particularly interesting.
After broadening my knowledge, I began creating Excel spreadsheets – one including all of the folk tales featured in the Journal of the Gypsy Lore Society and another including all of the folk tale books in the Special Collections and Archives. The spreadsheets showcased a variety of important information, such as country of origin. I used these for the next, and most exciting, part – choosing a set of tales and curating my exhibition using Humap. I have included a variety of tales, from different cultures and countries, modern and old, with captions summarising the story and exploring the cultural background. Learning to use the DigiSuite, Special Collections and Archives own digitisation studio, was a highlight – I was able to use the remarkable equipment to capture a range of beautiful illustrations from the stories.
Finishing this project, I am extremely grateful for the experience that it has provided me. Working in an area unfamiliar to me pushed me out of my comfort zone and I truly enjoyed learning about it. The work that Special Collections and Archives undertake daily is so important for keeping history alive and accessible and my time in the department has been enriching. I have learned effective time management regarding projects, important research skills, and improved my verbal and written communication; transferable skills which will benefit me throughout my future. This learning journey has been a truly exciting one.
Maisy Rooth Corder – Libraries Museums & Galleries Student Partner