‘Kvæði í Føroyskari Samtíð’ Exploring Ballads as Popular Culture and Heritage in Contemporary Faroese Culture

Since the early 2000s, there has been a reinvigoration of the ballads in Faroese culture. The areas which this has been most prominent is in the Faroese heritage and tourism industry, education and music. Although there has been research on the ballads and as part of Faroese oral culture and on their linguistic significance, there has been relatively little research done on their implementation in contemporary Faroese culture.
As a focal point, this thesis investigates how the ballads have been repurposed in contemporary Faroese popular culture and what this means in terms of establishing and reaffirming this particular strand of Faroese cultural heritage. By combining the ballad material with qualitative research methods and interviews, the thesis draws together historical literature with the experiences and views presented by the people and institutions who today actively engage with ballads, with a focus on Faroese education and music. This thesis explores to what extent the ballads are still present within Faroese culture and how people are engaging with them in contemporary cultural practices.
The thesis concludes that if the ballads are to continue to be a dynamic part of Faroese lived experience, it is crucial that a continuous engagement with the ballads has to be supported by different means. This includes funding, research, and allowing the ballads to be repurposed and reimagined in Faroese culture.