Vernacular culture
Encyclopedia
Vernacular culture is a term used in the modern study of geography
and cultural studies
. It refers to cultural forms
made and organised by ordinary, indigenous people for their own pleasure, in modern societies. Such culture is almost always engaged in on a non-profit and voluntary basis, and is almost never funded by the state
The use of the term generally implies a cultural form that differs markedly from a deeply-rooted folk culture
, and also from tightly-organised subculture
s and religious cultures
One could also include the design of home-made vernacular signage
and notices
Some of these activities, such as gardens, family albums, and grave memorials, will be organized on a family basis. Larger activities are usually organized through informal variations of the British committee system, consiting of a chairman, secretary, treasurer, agenda, minutes, and an annual meeting with elections based on a quorum
.
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
and cultural studies
Cultural studies
Cultural studies is an academic field grounded in critical theory and literary criticism. It generally concerns the political nature of contemporary culture, as well as its historical foundations, conflicts, and defining traits. It is, to this extent, largely distinguished from cultural...
. It refers to cultural forms
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
made and organised by ordinary, indigenous people for their own pleasure, in modern societies. Such culture is almost always engaged in on a non-profit and voluntary basis, and is almost never funded by the state
The use of the term generally implies a cultural form that differs markedly from a deeply-rooted folk culture
Folk culture
Folk culture refers to the lifestyle of a culture. Historically, handed down through oral tradition, it demonstrates the "old ways" over novelty and relates to a sense of community. Folk culture is quite often imbued with a sense of place...
, and also from tightly-organised subculture
Subculture
In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a group of people with a culture which differentiates them from the larger culture to which they belong.- Definition :...
s and religious cultures
Examples
- the making and shaping of personal gardenGardenA garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s, market gardenMarket gardenA market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. It is distinguishable from other types of farming by the diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically, from under one acre ...
allotments - amateur photographyVernacular photographyVernacular photography or amateur photography refers to the creation of photographs by amateur or unknown photographers who take everyday life and common things as subjects...
, family albums - scrapbookingScrapbookingScrapbooking is a method for preserving personal and family history in the form of a scrapbook. Typical memorabilia include photographs, printed media, and artwork. Scrapbook albums are often decorated and frequently contain extensive journaling...
- the making and showing of home movieHome movieHome movie may mean:*Home movies, referring to private or amateur motion picture photographic products shot and printed in any video or film format....
s - self-organising creative circlesSocial circleSocial circles are groups of socially interconnected people. A Social circle is distinguished from a social pyramid in that there are two perspectives that can be used to describe a social circle: the perspective of an individual who is the locus of a particular group of socially interconnected...
, such as for knittingKnittingKnitting is a method by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth or other fine crafts. Knitted fabric consists of consecutive rows of loops, called stitches. As each row progresses, a new loop is pulled through an existing loop. The active stitches are held on a needle until another loop can...
, sewingSewingSewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era...
, quiltingQuiltingQuilting is a sewing method done to join two or more layers of material together to make a thicker padded material. A quilter is the name given to someone who works at quilting. Quilting can be done by hand, by sewing machine, or by a specialist longarm quilting system.The process of quilting uses...
, storytellingStorytellingStorytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
, photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
, danceDanceDance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, and paintingPaintingPainting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is... - amateur dramatics and youth dance groups
- local history and historical re-enactment groups
- book reading and discussion circlesSocial circleSocial circles are groups of socially interconnected people. A Social circle is distinguished from a social pyramid in that there are two perspectives that can be used to describe a social circle: the perspective of an individual who is the locus of a particular group of socially interconnected...
- local horticultural produce and pet shows
- inventors groups, and leagues of amateur robotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
builders - amateur beauty pageants
- local food networkFoodwaysIn social science foodways are the cultural, social and economic practices relating to the production and consumption of food.- Definitions :...
s and "annual dinners" - informal investment clubInvestment clubAn investment club is a group of individuals who meet on a regular basis for the purpose of pooling money and retail investing. The invested sums can be $30 to $100 per month. For certain type of club pooling money is not mandatory...
s, which meet regularly in a social setting to jointly decide which stocks and investment vehicles to invest their money in - feteFêteFête is a French word meaning festival, celebration or party, which has passed into English as a label that may be given to certain events.-Description:It is widely used in England and Australia in the context of a village fête,...
s, parades, seasonal and traditional celebrations - children's street cultureChildren's street cultureChildren's street culture refers to the cumulative culture created by young children. Collectively, this body of knowledge is passed down from one generation of urban children to the next, and can also be passed between different groups of children . It is most common in children between the ages...
- parent-organised informal child sports and gym teams
- roadsideRoadsideMany things may be found along the roadside. These include:* Roadside attractions* Roadside memorials* Japanese Roadside Stations- Music :* Roadside Monument, a defunct US-based rock band* "Roadside", a song by Rise Against from The Sufferer & the Witness...
shrines to traffic victims, and small self-made shrines at graveGraveA grave is a location where a dead body is buried.Grave may also refer to:*Grave accent, a diacritical mark*Grave , a term used to classify sounds*Grave , a term for "slow and solemn" music*Grave , an old name for the kilogram...
sites - some forms of weblog and internet culture
One could also include the design of home-made vernacular signage
Signage
Signage is any kind of visual graphics created to display information to a particular audience. This is typically manifested in the form of wayfinding information in places such as streets or inside/outside of buildings.-History:...
and notices
Flyer (pamphlet)
__notoc__A flyer or flier, also called a circular, handbill or leaflet, is a form of paper advertisement intended for wide distribution and typically posted or distributed in public place....
Some of these activities, such as gardens, family albums, and grave memorials, will be organized on a family basis. Larger activities are usually organized through informal variations of the British committee system, consiting of a chairman, secretary, treasurer, agenda, minutes, and an annual meeting with elections based on a quorum
Quorum
A quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative assembly necessary to conduct the business of that group...
.
See also
- Vernacular dance
- Vernacular literatureVernacular literatureVernacular literature is literature written in the vernacular—the speech of the "common people".In the European tradition, this effectively means literature not written in Latin...
- Vernacular architectureVernacular architectureVernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...
- Spirit of placeSpirit of placeSpirit of place refers to the unique, distinctive and cherished aspects of a place; often those celebrated by artists and writers, but also those cherished in folk tales, festivals and celebrations...
- GrassrootsGrassrootsA grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...