One of the most comprehensive and widely praised introductions to folklore ever written. Toelken's discussion of the history and meaning of folklore is delivered in straightforward language, easily understood definitions, ...

To many Native American cultures, songs and stories are dramatic enactments of reality. To some words bring reality into existence. In this chapter from his award-winning The Anguish of Snails, Toelken thoughtfully approaches ...

Within a framework of performance theory, cultural worldview, and collaborative research, Toelken examines Native American visual arts, dance, oral tradition (story and song), humor, and patterns of thinking and discovery ...

The Japanese have ambivalent attitudes toward death, deeply rooted in pre-Buddhist traditions. In this scholarly but accessible work, authors Iwasaka and Toelken show that everyday beliefs and customs--particularly death ...