Literature from precolonial times LITERATURE OF FOLK Oral History FOLKLORE: The term "folklore" literally means "lore" or "knowledge of the folk" or "people." It mostly related to oral information kept among the illiterate masses abroad, as well as the oral literature of all people, whether or not they had written knowledge. 1. Categorization of ethnic literature: 1. A distinction was made between national and foreign folklore. 2. Foreign folklore was further divided into European and Asiatic. 3. National folklore was classified according to the region where it was kept. 4. Foreign folklore was collected from travelers and immigrants and stored in libraries. 5. Folklore was also collected during mass gatherings such as fairs and festivals. 6. Prizes were offered for information on how to collect folklore. 7. Some collectors relied solely on word of mouth to gather material. Others used note-taking tools such as pen and paper to record stories they heard. Still others used symbolic currency such as dolls or pictures instead. 8. Ethnologists study the folklore of different cultures to learn more about them and their interactions with each other. 9. Folklorists attempt to document, classify, and analyze this material with the aim of preserving it for future generations. 10. Folktales are one type of folklore. They tell us about real people who lived in the past like Robin Hood, Jack Sparrow, and Peter Pan. But they also use symbols and myths that help us understand our world today.