Documenting

The main reason we document folklife is to capture intangible cultural heritage. Intangible cultural heritage refers to traditions and living expressions that are passed down from generation to generation or group to group. For example, oral traditions, social practices, rituals, knowledge, and skills are part of cultural heritage that help maintain cultural diversity.

When learning about folk and traditional arts, we conduct fieldwork so that we can understand the context surrounding the creation of the art. We ask questions about process, skills, and knowledge - or the things you cannot see when you look at folk art, but which explain why and how it was created. We interview, film, and photograph artists as they work. All of these records are then housed in an archive that sustains the work of the Folk Arts Program and provides a community resource for anyone interested in learning about traditional arts and Utah's cultures. 

What is fieldwork?

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Chris Simon filming Mary Holiday Black weaving a Navajo basket.

“Fieldwork is what we call this work of firsthand observation. Fieldwork is recording or documenting what we see and hear in a particular setting, whether that be a rural farming community or a city neighborhood, a local fish market or a grandmother’s living room. Fieldwork is gathering together for analysis the raw material that may one day find its way into a library or museum (or even Wikipedia). Most excitingly, fieldwork is interviewing the greatest living experts on the traditions that interest us, most of whom are not rich or famous, but known only within their communities.” - Folklife & Fieldwork: An Introduction to Cultural Documentation, Library of Congress

How are fieldwork collections managed?

Fieldwork collections are housed in the State Folklife Archive where they are catalogued and made accessible for educational purposes. Since 2001, over 1400 archival recordings have been digitized and the selection of audio samples for web access is underway. Recordings, photographic images, and videos are being cataloged and accessioned into a digital database under the stewardship of Utah State Archives.

How are fieldwork projects used?

  • Cultural sustainability 
  • Exhibitions and museum interpretation
  • Audio and video productions
  • Folk arts in education
  • Heritage tourism