Furthering Our Local Knowledge

Joyful Rebels of the 18th Century

Named after the bags they carried around their necks and famed for keeping mystery, romance, religious, and cook books circulating among the greater masses in 18th and 19th century France, colporteurs evaded official censorship and evoked adventure and resistance at the margins of society. They were rebels of a joyful sort and enabled their clients and patrons to see beyond their present constraints.

Inspire, Celebrate, Transcend
In every culture, there are people who are repositories of diversity and daring. Like colporteurs, these people keep memories and alternatives that may have languished in the mainstream alive. Storytellers, seed-savers, folk musicians, basket makers, quilters, herbalists, and cooks are examples of colporteurs in our midst today. They embody other slices of knowledge apart from the academic sciences and humanities, inspiring us to celebrate life and transcend boundaries of discipline and time.

Our Goal ...
Yet -- or as can be expected -- they are generally outsiders to the scholarly community. By inviting these creative, sovereign individuals to stay on campus for one week, interact with students and faculty on an informal basis, speak to various classes, and make public presentations to the Athens community, the Colporteurs-in-Residence Program aims to foreground skills and practices that draw deeply on tradition yet are dynamic and continuously evolving. In doing so this program hopes to underscore the value of different paradigms, encourage fruitful encounters, and enhance individual as well as collective creativity and tolerance.

Contact us:
folkathens@gmail.com