FHR FAQ

This page is intended to answer frequently asked questions that have been raised by members of the Folk Horror Revival community.

  1. GENERAL
    1. What is Folk Horror?
      • ‘Folk Horror’ is a nebulous term that has been used to describe a particular blending of folklore and horror fiction, sometimes swinging more to one than the other but always maintaining a singular aesthetic. A good overview can be found on this site, by reading Andy Paciorek’s introductory essay ‘From the Forests, Fields and Furrows‘.
      • One point that should be clarified is that folk horror is less about horror, at least traditional definitions of horror, than may be first thought. What separates ‘Folk Horror’ from the simply ‘folk’ is a certain sense of dislocation from the comfortable world, but it is a dislocation that does not necessarily have to be frightening; it is the difference between a dusty window in an old cottage and that same window framing an indistinct face, peering out. Folk Horror is far les about horrification than it is about horripilation.
      • The posting of tribal and / or other cultural items is not intended to be seen as ‘horror’ and they are shared for inspirational and educational purposes. No offense is intended by the sharing of such articles.
    2. What is Folk Horror Revival?
      • Folk Horror Revival is a self-described ‘gathering place to share and discuss Folk Horror in film, TV, books, art, music, events and other media. We also explore psychogeography, hauntology, folklore, cultural rituals and costume, earth mysteries, archaic history, hauntings, Southern Gothic, ‘landscapism / visionary naturalism & geography’, backwoods, murder ballads, carnivalia, dark psychedelia, wyrd Forteana and other strange edges.’ Our main meeting place is the Folk Horror Revival Facebook Group.
    3. Where’s the best place to start?
  2. FHR FACEBOOK GROUP ETIQUETTE
    1. What should I post on the FHR Facebook Group?
      • The FHR Facebook Group has two fundamental rules; remain on-topic and remain civil. As long as you stay within those restrictions then you are good to go.
      • For help on what is considered on-topic then have a look at Section One (General) of this FAQ and read through previous posts on the Group. If you need help on remaining civil then you may want to reconsider joining our group.
    2. Can I post my own work on the FHR Facebook Group?
      • As long as you observe the two rules above then we absolutely encourage members to post their own work in the Group.
      • That said, bombarding the Group with self-promoting spam is not encouraged. Post your work with the intention of encouraging discussion and critique, rather than boosting your profile.
    3. Why was my post on the FHR Facebook Group deleted?
      • Posts to the group can be deleted for a number of reasons, namely:
        • Duplication: FHR is a busy group, and articles, especially those that are topical or popular, can be posted multiple times. In order to make sure that discussion is kept in one place, the admins may decide to remove duplicate posts. Please use the Group’s search facility to make sure that you are not reposting recent material. Reposts of material that have been shared on the Group some time ago are a different matter, as new members are always arriving and different times can lead to different discussions.
        • Uninspiring: The group admins want FHR to be a place that engenders discussion and fosters creativity. There are more than enough places on the internet where you can simply watch images slide by. Due to this, text-on-a-picture (TOAP) memes and other web-dross is likely to be deleted even if it is relevant to the Group. Equally, unique or member-owned content is more likely to be kept even if it lies on the fringes of the FHR remit. This is not to say that you cannot post links or content from other parts of the web, but that it should be done thoughtfully. It never hurts to explain why you are posting something.
        • Offensive material: If your post contravenes Facebook posting regulations, is considered likely to cause offence, by the admins or is reported as having caused offence to other members then it is likely to be removed. FHR does not tolerate posts supporting far-right/fascist beliefs, animal cruelty or glorifying recent true-crime and sharing this material is likely to result in a group ban. In extreme cases, your profile will be reported to Facebook.
        • Off-topic: Although the concept of Folk Horror is nebulous, as outlined above, the admins have a clear concept of the group’s aesthetic. The most common reason for a post being deleted is that it has simply been considered to not fit the group’s purpose. If you are posting something that is not, at first glance, Folk Horror then please add some commentary explaining your reasons for posting. Posts that are more relevant to a sci-fi community may find a better home in FHR’s sister-group, Speculative Horror, and simple reposts of ‘standard’ horror material are likely to be deleted without warning.
        • Unsafe: A number of sites are inherently unsafe for their visitors, due either to a lack of rigour around safety, privacy or content accuracy. We will delete posts that share content from these sites as a matter of course. This currently focuses on so-called ‘clickbait’ sites such as Buzzfeed and Upworthy but may extend to any site we consider to pose a risk.
    4. I don’t approve of a post on the FHR Facebook group.
      • If something is posted on the FHR Facebook group that you do not like, either because it is not relevant or is offensive, then please let us know. You can do this by:
        1. Making sure you are viewing the Folk Horror Revival Facebook group, and not your own timeline.
        2. Clicking the down-arrow at the top right of the post you want to report.
        3. Choosing the ‘report to admin’ option. The group admins will then be notified and will investigate.
        4. More information can be found in Facebook’s FAQ.
      • Don’t forget that you can also ‘hide’ posts if they are something you do not wish to see.
  • If you see content that you don’t think should be in the group, or someone is acting in a way that doesn’t adhere to our rules, then please report it to a group Admin. Getting into an online argument rarely solves anything and the admins would rather deal with something quickly rather than having to pick apart a heated discussion. Members who engage in antagonism and stirring will be removed from group regardless of their viewpoint.
  • Do NOT argue, make demands of or preach to Admins. Their decision is final; accept that or leave the group; either by your own choice or if you break rules then by ours.
  1. OUTSIDE THE GROUP
    1. Can I organise a folk horror event/meet-up?
      • Of course, yes. We have two points to bear in mind, though.
        • Your safety is the highest priority. Remember that people on the internet may not be who they say they are and always meet in public places. Folk Horror Revival takes no responsibility for your personal safety.
        • Events can only be organised using the ‘Folk Horror Revival’ title or the harvest sun image if a Folk Horror Revival admin is involved in organisation and in attendance. USE of the Folk Horror Revival name without consent is strictly not allowed
  2. NOTES ON CULTURAL MATERIAL

There have been certain topics posted upon the Folk Horror Revival Facebook Group that have stirred up some controversy. Please read the following to understand our policy and protocol when dealing with these issues.

To begin, it must be noted that the Administration staff of Folk Horror Revival are definitely NOT racist. In fact, a number of us participate in anti-fascist activities. 
We continuously work to keep nationalistic and xenophobic material out of the Group.

However, there are certain items that are more complex than may appear at face value.

1. Mummers, Morris Sweeps, Black Peter, Papa Lazarou and Associated Subjects

We understand and appreciate that some people are disturbed and offended by the ‘blacking up’ of the faces of white people in certain folk customs, media representations, etc.; therefore, our policy on such material is that it must be posted in proper context and with explanation. Too little information may result in the post being refused. Any post that has a xenophobic tone or that is shared from a right-wing or a nationalist source will be deleted without fail.

It is not our intention, however, to whitewash or ignore aspects of historical folk custom, nor to deny the likes of League of Gentlemen character Papa Lazarou, who has a blacked-up face but apparently does not actually represent a black person. But we also respect other people’s feelings and post or refuse posts with that in mind.

On such posts that have been allowed, we reserve the right to remove comments or to disable commenting from the outset. Whilst we would like our members to partake in discussion, unfortunately it has been proven time and again that some of our members cannot partake in mature, respectful debate and have instead resorted to name calling, stalking each other’s profiles, volatile outbursts, etc., which achieves nothing positive and brings a bad atmosphere to the Group. Any member who does express a racist viewpoint on the Group will be removed and blocked, as will any member behaving in an antagonistic manner regardless of their viewpoint.

2. Cultural ‘Appropriation’

International customs, folk costumes, masks, sacred rites and related subjects are relevant to Folk Horror Revival’s stated interests. These items are not posted as ‘horror’ but as items within their own context and history. Folk Horror Revival is NOT all about horror.

It must be remembered that a lot of folklore, customs, myths, legends, cultures and religious rites have originated through assimilation, syncretism and the adoption of material from other cultures. Folk Horror Revival has a great interest in different cultures and strives to share material and information about them. However, posts that are clearly exploitative or derogatory towards other cultures will not be allowed. Please do not argue, make demands or be antagonistic towards other Members and to Admins. The FHR administration’s judgement and decision on posts is final.

3. Religious Material

Religion is, of course, very relevant to our interests, and the members of FHR form a very broad church. Therefore, posts containing items from various religions may be shared.

Please show proper respect towards others’ beliefs. We will not accept bigotry from anyone of any particular faith, nor from atheists. Anyone ignoring this request will have their comments deleted and in certain circumstances will be removed and blocked from the Group.

We do realise that this can be subjective or ambiguous so in such cases the FHR Admins’ judgement is final.

4. Animal Cruelty

Folk Horror Revival does not condone animal cruelty. In fact, we have donated a lot of money to The Wildlife Trusts through our book sales. However, there are some subjects – such as mole gallows or crow gibbets – that, although grisly, are relevant to the Group’s interests. Our decision to share such material does not necessarily mean that we condone the practice but that culturally we think it is of relevance to our Group. Likewise, items of taxidermy and other such subjects may also be shared.

However, we may deny the posting of material representing abject cruelty, such as footage of monkeys being forced to wear masks and beg for money. Each post will be individually considered for its inclusion or not.

With regards to all potentially sensitive material, we appreciate that the issue is subjective but the judgement and decision of the Folk Horror Revival administration is final. Please accept that.