tarinankulun

Tarinankulun is a term used in folkloristics to describe a form of communal storytelling in Finnic oral traditions, where a central narrator coordinates a group retelling of a local event, myth, or memory through collaborative participation. The term is derived from tarina ("story") and a scholarly suffix used to denote practice.

Practice and structure: Generally performed in informal public spaces such as village gatherings, markets, or family circles. The lead storyteller presents a motif or situation and invites contributions. Participants interject with names, dialogue, or episodes, and the group negotiates a coherent sequence; refrains and repeated lines serve as anchors.

Function and content: Tarinankulun preserves local memory, transmits moral and practical knowledge, reinforces social bonds, and negotiates communal identity by embedding place names, genealogies, and shared history in the narrative.

Scholarly notes: It is discussed as an example of collective authorship in oral literature. Analyses focus on how authority shifts among participants, how motifs circulate, and how performance space shapes the tale. Some scholars emphasize variation and spontaneity, while others consider patterns that stabilize over generations. Comparable forms appear in other Finnic and Baltic storytelling traditions.