Heritage & Culture

Drawing on recent folklore studies on contemporary rites of passage, this thesis examines the customs and rituals of a formerly all male university residence at a small university in Atlantic Canada. Factors including the recent addition of women to the residence and the increased role of the university administration in orientation events are examined. Based on interviews and participant observation the author examines orientation or "frosh"

This thesis examines the role of priests in Atlantic Canada (focusing on Newfoundland, Cape Breton and New Brunswick), drawing on legend, personal experience narrative, and popular culture as presented in oral tradition, archival sources and popular fiction. -- Using the discipline of folklore, but with an awareness of the contributions of history and anthropology, it explores both positive and negative depictions of the priest's role as religious and cultural leader, community icon, hero and villain. The thesis argues that these complex folkloric representations express a nuanced "counterclericalism" that extends the concept of "anticlericalism" as developed by anthropologists and historians, and that communally accepted counterclerical narratives create a venue for discourse on the nature of power in general. -- I propose that the term counterclericalism is better suited to the folkloristic study of vernacular expressions of criticism of clergy, suggesting that the term "anticlericalism" be reserved for other uses.

This thesis examines the role of priests in Atlantic Canada (focusing on Newfoundland, Cape Breton and New Brunswick), drawing on legend, personal experience narrative, and popular culture as presented in oral tradition, archival sources and popular fiction. Using the discipline of folklore, but with an awareness of the contributions of history and anthropology, it explores both positive and negative depictions of the priest's role as religious and cultural leader, community icon, hero and villain. The thesis argues From an academic perspective, there have been numerous people whom have influenced and assisted me. In the initial stages, Dr. Diane Goldstein worked with me extensively and was instrumental to me securing SSHRC funding for this project, for which I am very thankful. A number of the Memorial University of Newfoundland Folklore faculty assisted me by talking to me about my research, forwarding articles and comments, or just generally being supportive. Among that number are Dr.