Famine, Feathers, and Folklore.

Liberty R. Murphy
Dr. Adam Davis, Faculty Mentor

This paper uses a folkloric perspective to analyze how the 1847 donation made by the Choctaw Nation to the people of Ireland during The Potato Famine serves as a site of cultural memory creation. Based on personal experience in Ireland, documented history, and public memory, I show the ultimate impact of the donation is derived not from the initial donation, but how this gift is shared, reinterpreted, and understood across time. Although the original donation was not a very large one, its value has greatly increased and transformed into a shared folklore. Folklore connects a culture to itself but is not limited by geography, therefore, it can connect two cultures through creating a shared culture. The Choctaw gift connects two nations, both impacted by displacement and colonization. This paper will demonstrate how the gift functions as a source of transnational folklore.

 

Keywords: Folklore, Choctaw, Ireland, Cultural memory

Topic(s):Folklore
History

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA