Smysl života, vnitřní exil i aktivní tvořivá činnost
The Meaning of Live, Inner Exile, and Creative Activity

The Many Faces of the Folkloric Movement of the Second Half of the Twentieth Century

Summary/Abstract: The collective volume "Tíha a beztíže folkloru: Folklorní hnutí druhé poloviny 20. století v českých zemích" [The Gravity and Weightlessness of Folklore: The Folkloric Movement of the Second Half of the Twentieth Century in the Czech Lands] edited by the ethnochoreologist Daniela Stavělová, details the history of the folklore movement in the western part of Czechoslovakia in the second half of the last century. The reviewer reminds us that the phenomenon of representing stylized artistic creation inspired by traditional folk culture is an important and still understudied chapter of the cultural history of the Czech lands in the twentieth century. Folk ensembles formed a unique world through which their members entertained, socialized, sought self-fulfilment or even an “inner exile”, and had a large audience. While anchored in an interest in (especially late) state socialism, the book traces the folkloric movement from its origins to the present. The collective of ten authors reflects on this cultural phenomenon from a variety of perspectives, including the use of folklore in official propaganda and ideology. They attribute great importance to the perspective of the actors themselves – the members of folklore groups – which often reveals a nostalgia. Oral history interviews are therefore a pillar of the research. Despite its impressive length, the book does not cover all important aspects of the earlier folklore movements, especially at the local level, while at other times it is too detailed. It is nevertheless an important contribution to cultural history and folklore studies in the Czech lands in the second half of the twentieth century.

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