VISUAL RESEARCH METHODS IN THE STUDY OF TRADITION: THE CASE OF THE LATVIAN SONG AND DANCE CELEBRATION

Abstract

Most researchers, focusing on the study of tradition, admit that the term tradition has several meanings that are open to different interpretations. Sociology, anthropology, and ethnology apply different approaches to the study of tradition; yet it has been often researched also interdisciplinary, using various theoretical and empirical tools. The choice of the empirical methods was largely determined by the theoretical approaches to the concept of tradition, especially ethnologist Simon J. Bronner’s premise that all the explanations of tradition perceive it as a subjective phenomenon that does not easily yield to reflection and usually manifests itself as an intrinsic and intangible part of everyday life. The specific nature of tradition has encouraged the development of methods suitable to the analysis of symbolic practices which are difficult to read. The above considerations prompt to test the applicability of visual research methods hitherto seldom used in the study of tradition, choosing as the case study the everyday practices of the Song and Dance Celebration movement. The objective of the current research is to establish whether and in what ways the application of visual research methods to the study of tradition advances the understanding of tradition using as the example of tradition the arts groups’ everyday practices during the Song and Dance Celebration interim in Latvia. We pose two central research questions: 1) what everyday practices are typical of the arts groups during the Song and Dance Celebration interim; 2) which aspects of tradition can be explored through visual research methods. The data lead to the conclusion that photo-elicitation is the best visual approach for encouraging reflection on the everyday practices and their motivation. It can be used as the only research method, while the visual data acquired by the researcher need supplementary methods, such as the in-depth interview. Visual data reveal the variety of everyday practices and assist in describing the aspects that are difficult to formulate, e. g., to illustrate emotions and feelings. It is concluded that visual research methods lead to novel and original results, reveal additional everyday practices upholding tradition and open new possibilities for interpreting their significance and symbolism.