Folkloristic Study on Performance Creativity in Folk Performing Arts

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K13277
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 04030:Cultural anthropology and folklore-related
• Research Institution: Tenri University
• Principal Investigator: MATSUOKA Kaoru 天理大学, 人文学部, 講師 (90824350)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 民俗芸能 / 俄 / 演技 / 創造性 / 即興性 / 大衆芸能

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study examined how performances in folk performing arts are created, focusing on the interaction between performers and audiences, their evaluation of performances, and the process of creating performances. Fieldwork was conducted in Mino City, Tondabayashi City, and Takamori Town, Aso Ward, focusing on the folk performing art of Niwaka, which is characterized by the ephemeral and improvisational nature of its performances. The results revealed the following: (1) local dialects and specific place names and characters shared within the region are used in the performances, thus putting current issues into a local context; (2) in addition to the audience "watching" the performance, it is necessary to pay attention to the influence of professional (full-time) performers in the performance creation process in some regions.

Free Research Field

民俗学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、観客という「見る」人々の存在を導入することによって、芸能実践の根幹である演者や観客といった人々の存在に焦点をあて、これらの人々が織りなす芸能伝承の複雑な動態を明らかにした。観客たちが地域固有の価値や審美の基準をもとに演技を評価するプロセスは、一般的な芝居に対する評価の基準とは異なるものである。こうした地域固有の価値観を共有した演者－観客の存在が民俗芸能の演技の創造性に大きく寄与していることを明らかにした点は、当該領域の発展を図るものである。