Why We Have Folklores

A folklore is an unauthenticated story that was supposed to explain the origin of something.

Most folklores are quite popular and are considered facts by our ancestors although their authenticity was never proven. Furthermore, most of the characters depicted in them are exaggerated and categorized as supernatural.

 

Storytelling has always been a very good way of bringing the family closer. It always served as an excellent bonding moment. Prior to the Spanish colonization, our ancestors regularly gather to share folklores within families and communities. It also became the elders' way of passing on their knowledge to the next generation.

 

Influencing the beliefs of others, educating them and molding their future can easily be done then by means of telling them interesting stories. And since our ancestors lack the means to validate the tales that they hear from their elders, they will simply believe what they hear from them as a sign of respect.

When the Spaniards colonized our country, they created a lot of stories that have been handed down from generation to generation for the sake of social control. It's been their way of planting fear in the minds of our ancestors so that it will be easier to make them obey their will and attract them to the religion that they brought into the country.

Aside from the fact that our colonizers brought most these folklores to us, it is man's nature to be curious about the origin of things; and because of that, they will speculate and use their imagination to get answers. This is the reason why a lot offolklores were created and they were passed on from generation to generation.