Reflection On Traditions

Chapter Three of the book Living Folklore gives an accurate definition as to what exactly a tradition is, as well as the importance of a tradition in the way one identifies themselves with a group. One of the most important concepts in understanding a tradition is the idea of continuity. The longer a tradition is practiced and appreciated, the more attachment and importance that tradition has on our lives. Many traditions have been going on for a very long time, but now seem to lose importance or disappear. One example of this would be the high school senior prom. I cannot speak for everyone, but I have noticed a disappearance in the importance of the high school senior prom. In my high school, we did not even have a senior prom…we had a junior prom. And everyone just looked at it as another excuse to party. As some traditions fall off, others only get stronger and more central to us. One tradition that is increasingly central to me is my family Thanksgiving. I have written about my family and this tradition previously, so I don’t think I can explain their importance to me any more than I already have. My family has a specific routine every Thanksgiving that’s continuity adds to the significance of this event. One tradition that I have participated in that has a relevance to Indiana University is the Little 500. I have gone to Indiana University to participate in the Little 500 weekend events twice. While I cannot tell you the winners of either of those races, I can’t stress enough the importance of those few days to the city of Bloomington. This has been a response to the Chapter Three reflection question for Folklore F-121 World Arts and Culture.