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Sample
Fieldnotes: Teen Memories of Grade School Traditions
By Maida Owens, Louisiana
Folklife Program
These fieldnotes and interview
transcript are provided for teachers and students as an example
of how one folklorist took a research idea and developed it.
These notes show how serendipitous fieldwork can be. It is difficult
to predict exactly how a field project will develop, where ideas
will come from, who will cooperate, and who won't.
Teachers should note that fieldnotes are
highly personal and vary
among researchers. This format is similar to journaling and
uses two-column, steno pad format.
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 1999
Paddy Bowman, the lead writer
of Louisiana Voices, and I brainstormed on folklife research
subjects that relate to students' everyday experience. She mentioned
that most elementary school children make things of folded paper.
I said my 17-year-old daughter, Rachel, used to make something
out of paper to tell fortunes. I suggested that I interview Rachel
about her memories of doing this. It would be an example of documenting
a teenager remembering her own folk traditions as an elementary
school child. Paddy said that if I documented my research process,
this would do two things: provide documentation of a student
tradition and an example of the fieldwork process and fieldnotes.
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THURSDAY, JULY 8, 1999
I asked Rachel if she remembered
folding paper to make something that she told fortunes with.
At first she wasn't sure what I meant, but with a bit more description
she said, "Of course." She said that she hadn't thought
about that in a long time. I asked if she would agree to be interviewed.
Since she had grown up with me doing such things, she was familiar
with the idea. But when I said that I wanted to put the interview
online, she wasn't so sure, especially since I also wanted to
include photographs of her folding the paper. I told her to think
about it, and that she didn't have to do it.
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NOTES
I don't really remember doing
much with folding paper. I do remember spending most of 8th grade
French class making spitballs and sticking them down a little
hole in my desk. I don't think of spit balls in the same category
as folding paper, though. I wonder why I immediately thought
of spitballs when I thought of paper folding. I wonder if my
kids make the same connection?
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FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1999
I asked Rachel again about
being interviewed about paper folding. She seemed a bit shy about
it, but agreed to be interviewed. She immediately folded a fortuneteller,
but I said that I didn't have the tape recorder at home to do
the formal interview, so we couldn't do it right now. I told
her the type of things that I would ask her.
At what age did she do this
type of paperfolding?
Why did she do it? In what
types of situations did she do it?
Why did she stop doing it?
Suddenly a paper airplane
whizzed by. Rachel's 19-year-old brother had overheard our conversation,
made a paper airplane, and shot it at me. I asked him if he would
agree to be interviewed, and he said, "No way. Absolutely
not." I asked why, and he said that he didn't want to be
on the Internet. So I asked if I could include a photo of his
airplane in the project, and he said that would not be a problem.
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1999
I wanted to experiment with
photographing the folded paper before the actual interview. Also,
I had recently gotten a digital camera and needed to get familiar
with it. I was also concerned about photographing something white.
Since the white paper was the subject of the photographs, it
would need to be carefully planned so that the photographs would
be usable. Without a carefully planned background, the paper
would not show up.
I was right. The white paper
was going to be a problem with or without a flash. On my white
kitchen counter, the white paper did not show up. I tried it
on my wooden kitchen table and that didn't help much because
the room was quite dark. The flash on the digital camera was
not sufficient for this photo shoot. The flash simply washed
out the paper. The great thing about the digital camera was that
I could find out immediately whether a shot worked.
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NOTES
Remember to get from work:
1. Digital camera
2. Plenty of computer disks. (The disks
fill up fast, especially when the setting is on
fine).
3. Tape recorder
4. Audio cassettes
5. Batteries for recorder and
microphone
6. Release form for Rachel to
sign
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 1999
I asked a group of Rachel's
friends about folding paper. At first, they thought I was nuts
to be asking about this. Why would anyone care about such a thing?
Rachel explained that I was a folklorist and documented lots
of unusual things like that. After explaining the project, they
thought that it was cool. I asked them if they made the fortunetelling
thing, and some said they did and others said they didn't. One
said that some girls really got into doing that and others didn't.
No one seemed to have a name for it, but they all knew what I
was talking about.
I asked if they made anything
else with paper. One said that some kids really got into origami.
I asked how they learned it, and she said that some teachers
taught it in class or kids took a class in it. Since this evidently
wasn't a folk tradition among this group, I didn't ask more questions.
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 1999
I asked my son about paper
folding. Did he only make airplanes? He said that was the primary
thing. He didn't do a lot of it--mainly in class to annoy teachers.
Then he smiled and said, "Spit balls!" I asked if he
considered spit balls related to paper folding, and he said,
"Of course. They both annoy teachers." He then told
me about making giant spitballs, so big that he could hardly
get them out of his mouth.
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NOTES
Could spitballs really be considered part
of the paperfolding tradition? I made the association earlier, but I
don't know about this one. I have the feeling that I have been
duped. Or is he serious?
Maybe there is a whole genre of traditions
that could be called "teacher annoyances," slow motion race to the
pencil sharpener, passing notes, spitballs, paper airplanes, putting
pencils up your nose.
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1999
Rachel and I decided to set
up the interview for Saturday, September 4, since both of us
were free in the afternoon. Also, the weather was expected to
be good, so we could do the photographs outside. Rachel's grandmother
overheard us and asked what we were doing. After we explained,
she said that when she was little, she always made a paper hat.
She asked for a piece of newspaper - it had to be made out of
newspaper, not any other type of paper - and quickly folded a
hat. I asked if we could photograph her making a hat, and she
said, "Certainly," but she would not be in town on
the 4th. She said that it looks a lot like a boat also. They
called it both.
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NOTES
Remember to discuss with
her the next time she is in town. I wonder if she would be willing
to be interviewed or have photographs put on the Internet. I
wonder if she used the funny papers to give it color.
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 1999
This would be a good day
for doing the interview, but not the photographs because it was
raining. So we decided to go ahead with the interview and wait
on the photographs. We were alone in the house, and we didn't
expect anyone.
I set up the tape recorder
and tested the sound level. I listened for any sounds. No appliances
were running (except the refrigerator, which was quiet). The
TV and radio were off. No fans were running. The air conditioner
didn't seem to be a problem.
I told Rachel that I was
ready. So we sat down, but as we did I realized that our kitchen
chairs squeaked loudly, so we switched chairs. I wanted the clearest
recording possible even if it wouldn't be used online. Transcribing
over background noises is very annoying. I knew that it was worth
the extra effort just to make transcribing easier.
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NOTES
Even though we have a special transcribing
machine at work, I will use the recorder and do it at home. This is
a short interview and not worth the effort needed to set up the
special equipment.
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Transcript
of Interview
Louisiana folklorist Maida
Owens interviewed her daughter, Rachel Bergeron, on Saturday,
September 4, 1999, at their home in Baton Rouge about making
paper objects.
Maida: I remember you making
items out of paper, one in particular where you would tell a
fortune. Do you remember doing that?
Rachel: It
was in grade school that I would do that. It was a pretty popular
thing to do. You would fold the paper to where you would move
it with your fingers. . . . It was made so that you would have four parts to it
on the top that would have different colors. And you would
ask someone to pick a color. And then you would spell out the color
and move back and forth the little piece of paper and whatever. . . . Inside
would be numbers, and whichever ones you would land on, you would
then ask the person to pick a number. Then you would fold up
the paper and underneath that would be the fortune. And then
you would tell them the fortune. [The fortune] would be something
that we [had made] up.
Notes: It would be good to have
a photo of Rachel holding the paper item showing names of colors
on the outside.
Maida: What kind of fortunes
would be there?
Rachel: Things about your
future or your personality. One might be "You will be very
rich," or "You are nice." Many different things
would be written on them.
Notes: Get a close-up photo of
paper item showing numbers and one fortune.
Maida: Kind of like Chinese
fortune cookies?
Rachel: Yes, a lot like that,
but not so mysterious. A little more, child-like.
Maida: You said, "We
would do this." Who is we? What age were you?
Rachel: Mainly kindergarten
through 4th-grade students would do that. And it was mainly girls who would do that.
Maida: Would the boys have
anything to do with it?
Rachel: Not usually. I think
some boys did, but I don't remember many of them.
Maida: But it was mainly
a girl-thing. What kind of paper would you use? Was it special?
Rachel: It was just regular
writing paper that you would use, and you would have to cut it
off to make it into a square, so that you could do it right.
Note: Remember to get a photo of Rachel
making first fold.
Maida: How did you learn
how to do it?
Rachel: From other kids my
age.
Maida: Did you formally have
to ask them? Or did you just watch them and figure it out? Was there a class?
Rachel: No, it was just something
that I just picked up. From seeing other people, or someone might
have shown me it. A lot of people did it all the time, so, you
know, it wasn't that hard.
Maida: What do you mean by
that, "Some people would do it all the time?"
Rachel: People would make
lots of them.
Maida: They were really into
the fortunetelling? Or making them?
Rachel: It was fun to make,
and it was fun to play with during class.
Maida: During class?
Rachel: Uh-huh.
Maida: So it was something
you weren't supposed to be doing?
Rachel: Probably not.
Maida: Which probably made
it even more fun?
Rachel: Maybe.
Maida: Well, if it was so
much fun, why did you stop doing it?
Rachel: It was just kind
of one of those phases. I don't know why I stopped.
Maida: So you out grew it?
Rachel: Yes, I think it was
just something that you out grow.
Maida: Girls folded this
kind of paper. Were there other things that you remember? Or
did boys fold other types of things?
Rachel: Yes, I remember people
making paper airplanes and spit balls and stuff. Usually that
was more of a boy-thing, but girls did do it, but not as much.
Maida: What were the airplanes
like?
Rachel: There were lots of
different types of airplanes. Some would be the ones you would typically see, long and coming
to a point. And then others would be all sorts of crazy-looking
things.
Maida: More elaborate?
Rachel: Yes.
Maida: The more elaborate
ones, were they the sort of thing they would learn in classes
or part of science class?
Rachel: No. No.
Maida: So they just taught
each other?
Rachel: I think so, yeah.
Maida: And what about the
spit balls? It seems like a spit ball is just a wad of paper.
Rachel: Yeah.
Maida: They aren't more elaborate
than that?
Rachel: No
Maida: Did girls do the paper
airplanes much?
Rachel: Yes, I'm sure. I
don't really remember.
Maida: Right now you are
17, and you are thinking back to when you were?
Rachel: Ten.
Maida: Let's go through how
you do the fortune telling. Pretend that I am another child.
And how would you do this?
Rachel: Okay. Pick a color.
Note: Get a close-up showing
the names of colors on the outside.
Maida: Red.
Rachel: [Moves the paper
each time a letter is said.] R - E - D. Pick a number.
Maida: Six.
Rachel: [Moves the paper
each time a number is said.] One, two, three, four, five, six.
Pick another number.
Maida: Two.
Rachel: [Lifts up the paper
flap to reveal a written fortune.] The fortune is that you will marry a frog.
Note: Get a close-up showing
numbers with one side raised to show the fortune.
Maida: Thanks for sharing
this with me today.
My fortune caught me off
guard. Since we knew each other so well and we had kind of rehearsed
the interview, I thought I knew how it would go, but she surprised
me. I wish I had kept the recorder going to capture our laughing
and teasing after the interview.
Finally, I asked Rachel to
sign a release form, which I also signed as her parent/guardian
since she was under 18.
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 1999
The next Saturday, the weather
was clear, so we scheduled the photo shoot. I ironed a red tablecloth
and covered the patio table. I hoped that the contrast between
the tablecloth and paper would make the photos more effective.
We had talked about the process, so I knew what shots I wanted
to use online. I asked her to fold the paper slowly and to pause
at key points so that I could take several shots of each stage
with the digital camera. I shot about 17 prints and 11 digital
images showing the process of making the fortuneteller and then
telling the fortune. I also shot close-ups of doing the process.
This photo shoot was more planned that most, so I didn't shoot
as much film as I usually do. (Professional photographers are
generally pleased if they get one usable shot out of one roll
of film). Since I wanted to see how the digital camera compared
with my 35mm SRL camera, I also shot with it.
Several times, we had to
pause so that Rachel could stop laughing. Even though she had
seen me do interviews and had followed me around folklife festivals,
exhibits, and concerts, she had never been interviewed and photographed.
Even though I am concerned about the white paper, I think the
photo shoot went well.
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OCTOBER 5, 1999
Talking with Paddy about
this project, she noted that this fortunetelling thing is usually
called a cootie catcher in other parts of the country. I have
never heard this name, I wonder if Rachel has.
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NOTES
Remember to ask Rachel whether she is
familiar with the name cootie catcher.
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OCTOBER 6, 1999
I asked Rachel whether she
knew the term "cootie catcher." She wasn't familiar
with it.
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OCTOBER 8, 1999
The prints came back. I wish
I had asked Rachel to sit with her back to the brick wall. The
cluttered background distracts from the object of the photograph.
The red tablecloth worked especially well for the wide shots,
but not for the close ones. Not quite enough light for the close-ups.
The two cameras compare very
well. The main difference is the quality of the flash. So, the
digital camera didn't handle the close-ups or the indoor shots
as well as the 35mm camera. It will be interesting to see if
the graphic designer doing the Web page has a preference.
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NOTES
Paddy suggested asking Rachel about note
folding traditions as she went into middle and high school. I wonder
if she considers fancy handwriting, practicing signatures, doodling
as related to paper folding, just more appropriate for an older
student?
If I continue documenting this subject and
interview others, I could ask:
Is the name cootie catcher used in
Louisiana?
What types of airplanes, are
made?
Do girls also make paper airplanes, or is it
still mainly a boy thing?
Do other children connect spitballs with
paperfolding?
What other items are made with
paper?
What other things are done to annoy
teachers?
Has the age range for paper folding changed
over time? This seems very similar to my memories, but what do
others remember?
Has origami become a folk
tradition among some groups, or is it still mainly taught in
formal classes?
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Samples of Photographs
Creating a Fortuneteller
1 Cutting the paper
2 First fold
3 Second fold
4 Third fold
5 Fourth fold
6 Fifth fold
7 Opened up
8 Adding the colors, numbers, and fortunes
9 Adding the numbers
10 First step
11 Spell the color
12 Second step--counting out the number
13 Showing the fortune
14 Fortuneteller and boat/hat
15 Fortuneteller--out of focus
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