Vinotok: Myth and Community
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Date
2024-06-14
Authors
Keith, Jessie
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
The research topic of my terminal project is Vinotok, an autumn equinox festival that
takes place annually in the small town of Crested Butte, Colorado. Vinotok is a curious festival
in that it wasn’t formally begun until the mid-80s, but draws upon older traditions, myths,
stories, rituals, and community activities—from the Gunnison Valley it rests in all the way to the
European (mostly northern and western) countries the festival creators and participants are
descended from. These roots, how they are reclaimed and reworked, and the community
involvement in the festival are all elements that became magnified and emphasized during my
fieldwork.
As a result of this research, I created a feature-length documentary film, as well as this
accompanying written piece. The documentary is to be kept in the Randall V. Mills Folklore
Archive here at the University of Oregon, gifted back to community members who were a part of
the research, and hosted online (making it more easily accessible for viewing). The goal of this
written component of the project is to illuminate folkloric aspects of the festival and examine
how those aspects shape and are shaped by the community. I will first present the lines of
inquiry, project objectives, and methodology. Then, I will provide a general account of the
festival and go on to examine its connections to heritage, spirituality, and folklore scholarship. A
reflection on the project as a whole will conclude this work.
Description
Project consists of a 59 page document and a 1 hour and 14 minute documentary
Keywords
Vinotok festival, folklore, shared heritage and tradition, ethnography, Gunnison Valley, Colorado