Ninth and Tenth classes: Margaretbennettpaloozathon '06

If only all irruptions in the schedule were as pleasurable as this one. Margaret Bennett, that Hebridean firecracker, entered our lives for a week of things.

First she came to our class not to hit on Clare, as the picture may imply (oh, see last post) but to talk about some of the practical aspects of conducting fieldwork.

For those who have trouble remembering:

1. Have a bag
2. Put things in it
3. Things should include
   1. Recorder, all cords for same, microphone, and instruction manual
   2. Spare recording media
   3. Extra batteries
   4. Bottle of water
4. Bring bag with you
5. Position equipment so that it can pick up sound good but
6. Don't position equipment so that your interviewee is uncomfortable
7. Things of ways to reciprocate for their time: this might include
   1. Offering to make them copies of the interview
   2. Bringing them something like a housewarming present (everybody likes muffins)
   3. Cure them of their diseases (*swamis or angels only)
   4. Don't bring them booze (revision to standard folklore protocol 1975)
   5. Cookies: everybody likes cookies too
8. And, in all instances, like in life, don't be a turd (my paraphrase).

Then, on Thursday, we finally got a taste of lore (some of you who signed up with a less talk, more rock approach must have been waiting for this). Her talk on the songs of immigration (or emigration) indicated not only the time-depth of the tradition in a Cape Breton and Scottish repertoire, but also how they can be used as a source of historical data. Take that, "real disciplines."