Jaanuar, veerpalu, märts, aprill, mae... Pilk spordimaailma läbi folklooriprisma
January, Veerpalu, March, April, Mae A Glimpse into Sports World through Folklore

Summary/Abstract: The present article analyses folklore from the perspective of an activity that is clearly in the central media spotlight today - the sports. This statement is confirmed by media research on Estonians' preferences of television viewing, where sports competitions always rank close to the top. The broad definition of the term `sports' is considered together with the development of physical shape and mental well-being also facilitating social interactions as a function of sports, which enables us to regard expressions of sports and sports-related activities (especially folkloric) as one form of culture. The article attempts to define sports as a means by which folklore is created, maintained in tradition, developed and transmitted. Folklore bearers can thus be divided into three groups: sportsmen, those who are interested in sports, including fans, and the so-called sports ignoramus. The sports world and sports topics are represented in all classic folklore genres and have created numerous new ones. Also the contrary is the truth. Sportsmen, coaches, and sports fans have their own specific group folklore, which is waiting to be explored in more detail. The present article views how mental, emotional, cultural and folkloric manifestations of sports are represented in traditional folklore genres: in songs, tales, short forms, beliefs and customs. Sample material mainly comes from the Estonian media (the Internet, the press, television, radio, etc.). In addition, the author's informants include a closer circle of people - sports folklore, when instinctively recognized, has been noted down from the interaction with them. The Estonian Folklore Archives contains only very little relevant material and even these few sources have been collected from media, mostly from the Internet. Sports folklore can be conceived as a means of self-determination. Or what else can the budding fan clubs of Estonia and folkloric subject created by them be, but a search for self-identification and strive for assimilation namely through folklore.

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