Redefining "The Resource": Interpretation and Public Folklore

Abstract There has always been practical training offered to staff in public agencies and historic sites on subjects such as how to create public programs and design displays for site visitors. In recent years, these fora have developed into afull-blown program with a more formal professional focus and a sequence of organized training programs, certification processes, networks, and toolkits. The resultant specialization "interpretation" is currently being promoted as an alternative (largely in-service) to more general academic training in visitor management and evaluation for heritage sites, community programs, and nature programs around the world. Only recently have the programs concentrated on not just environmental and historic site interpretation, but also the areas of cultural and community interpretation. Public folklorists have a potentially important contribution to make to the interpretive conversation. Most current interpretive training involves a focus on objects, sites, or place-based programs. Public folklorists’ experiences as developers of community and people-centered events, such as festivals and exhibitions where communities and individuals are encouraged to interact and where other essentially interpretive culture brokering activities occur, offer the possibility of adding important supplementary models to the interpretive repertoire.