Paper Short Abstract:

This presentation analyzes the gender and age distribution of performers and collectors in the Estonian oral song corpus. We compare data across collection periods and regions, examining gender and age relationships, and interpret the results in folkloristic and historical contexts.

Paper Abstract:

The southern tradition of Finnic oral runosong can be characterized as female-centered, based on song content and dominant performance forms, though a distinct male tradition also existed. During the modernization era, women retained the old singing style longer, while men transitioned more quickly to newer forms. In the early phase of active collecting in the late 19th century, the creators of the archive representations—local correspondents and (semi)professional urban intellectuals—were predominantly men. By the 20th century, female collectors gained a significant presence.

This presentation analyzes the gender and age distribution and dynamics of the performers and collectors in the Estonian runosong corpus, asking also how gender- and age-based relationships may have shaped the collection process. Using digital tools, we determine the gender and harmonized ages of performers and collectors. This is followed by examining gender and age dynamics across different collecting periods and exploring whether differences emerge between local and non-local collectors. Correlating performer and collector data allows us to ask whether a collectors’ gender influenced their preference for performers of a particular gender during fieldwork. We also analyze regional variation in the gender and age distribution of performers across Estonia.

The data is interpreted within the historical and regional context of the singing tradition, the history of song collecting, and the broader framework of local socio-cultural history.