Paper Short Abstract:

SKS folklore index cards were nominated for the national register of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme in 2024. A significant number of the cards address graphic sexual imagery or include terms for genitalia. How do these materials challenge or complement the perception of folklore as a symbol of valuable tradition and a source of national pride?

Paper Abstract:

Since 1831, the Finnish Literature Society (SKS) has amassed extensive collections of folklore, oral history narratives, and ethnographic materials. Among the most prominent of these collections is the pinewood folklore index card cabinet, which contains approximately three million cards organized by folklore genre, subject, geographical origin, and collector. Interestingly, a significant number of these cards address themes involving graphic sexual imagery or include diverse vernacular terms for genitalia.

In 2024, the SKS folklore index cards were nominated for inclusion in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, recognizing them as a nationally significant documentary and cultural heritage collection. The folklore index cards represent the contributions of tens of thousands of individuals who have recorded and preserved oral traditions over the past 150 years. While collectors from among the “folk” often documented “crude” traditional themes without hesitation, representatives of the middle-class intelligentsia were more reserved in their attitudes. The categorization of the index cards reflects both the oral tradition genres and the diverse backgrounds of the individuals who collected these materials over time.

In my presentation, I examine the status of sexually explicit folklore as part of national cultural heritage. Sexual jokes, pornographic riddles, proverbs and folksongs offer avenues for past-time intimate power relations. How do these materials challenge or complement the perception of folklore as a symbol of valuable tradition and a source of national pride? Additionally, I discuss the practical implications of including explicit sexual folklore in a UNESCO-recognized collection, particularly with regard to its presentation and accessibility.