Folklore is living knowledge, not archive material. Documentation that lifts a story, a song or a practice out of its context protects nothing and can do real harm — it creates a record that others can use while the community that carries it gains neither credit nor control.
How we document
- In the language of the holders, with their own terms for what is recorded.
- With provenance: who carries the practice, where, and on whose authority it is shared.
- With explicit terms on access — some material is documented specifically to remain closed.
- Returned to the community in a usable form, not only held by us.
Why it matters legally
Copyright assumes an identifiable author and a fixed term, neither of which fits folklore. Careful documentation supports defensive protection, collective marks and geographical indications where the expression is tied to a place or producer group.