Poster Title
D-01 Tales of Minden, Louisiana: Collecting and Compiling the Elkins Family Oral Tradition
Abstract
The oral tradition is often undervalued in comparison with its sister arts of the written and performed word, especially those which claim the title “true.” Yet these tales have inherent value through the connections they create between those who tell them and the people and places featured in their stories. The purpose of this project is to preserve the oral tradition of the Elkins family of Minden, Louisiana, through the collection and editing of three stories. To determine which stories constitute family lore, four of five siblings of the eldest generation of Elkins were interviewed. Their stories were recorded and transcribed. From the transcriptions, motifs were identified, and three cohesive stories were created and published for redistribution among the Elkins family and the public.
Start Date
10-25-2019 2:00 PM
D-01 Tales of Minden, Louisiana: Collecting and Compiling the Elkins Family Oral Tradition
The oral tradition is often undervalued in comparison with its sister arts of the written and performed word, especially those which claim the title “true.” Yet these tales have inherent value through the connections they create between those who tell them and the people and places featured in their stories. The purpose of this project is to preserve the oral tradition of the Elkins family of Minden, Louisiana, through the collection and editing of three stories. To determine which stories constitute family lore, four of five siblings of the eldest generation of Elkins were interviewed. Their stories were recorded and transcribed. From the transcriptions, motifs were identified, and three cohesive stories were created and published for redistribution among the Elkins family and the public.
Acknowledgments
J.N. Andrews Honors Scholar and Undergraduate Research Scholar
Mentors: Sonia Badenas, International Langues & Global Studies; Beverly Matiko, English