Folk Groups

When I was reading about Folk Groups, I began to understand that we all can belong to many Folk Groups. The first one that I thought of was Girl Scouts. We were constantly telling stories, singing songs, and reliving tradtions as we grew up together in the troop. Many believe that after a certain age Scouting is over, this is not always the case. I received my Gold Award in Girl Scouts when I was a senior in high school and then became a life time member. The other girl that went all the way through scouts with me is still a dear friend of mine and we still remember stories together and share them with the younger girls in the troop we were once a part of.

Another Folk group that I belong to is the one of my occupation. I have been working in bars and restaurants for years and am now a bartender. The stories that the regulars tell may be repetitive but they are stories that show a bit of themselves and make my job much more enjoyable. They especially like telling me jokes and making the people around them laugh.

Another folk group that I belong to is regional. I was born in Rhode Island and lived in Connecticut. I have always been the relocated northerner here in Virginia. I still feel like I'm going home every time I drive back up north and hope to some day soon move back to Moosup Connecticut.

My family is yet another folk group I belong to. My dad has been telling me stories of his young days all my life and only more recently has been going into more detail. He did not want his mischievous ways rubbing off on me in a negative way so he left certain bits out until I was older. Every trip to New England spurs a new story of his growing up and they always interest me. My mother is the same way. Stories of when I was a baby and when she was young. Even my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are big story tellers. My grandfather always says when one of his four children call he will be on the phone for no less then three hours because they have to tell him stories.