On Using Elements of Traditional Folk Culture: The Example of Souvenirs in Slovakia

Souvenirs largely contribute to promoting the attractiveness, history and culture of a tourist destination. The study presents an analysis of results of a research probe that mapped the use of elements of traditional folk culture, using the example of souvenirs offered in special sales places in two of the most visited tourist destinations in Slovakia – Bratislava and the High Tatras. It views the phenomenon of souvenirs through the prism of anthropology of tourism and visual arts folklorism. The analysis of materials from the field research is based on a theoretical framework with three stages of folklore work’s stylisation (Leng 1963) and the theory of geographically displaced authenticity (Hashimoto – Telfer 2007). Interviews with souvenir sellers reflect a certain tension between the idea of offering souvenirs linked to traditional Slovak traditional culture and the globalised demands of tourists.