Start of something new: narratological experiences of students and teachers at the Yilan festival

Roland M. Fronda

Abstract


This qualitative study narrates the experiences of teachers and students from Bataan High School for the Arts (BHSA) who participated in the 2023 Yilan International Children's Folklore and Folkgame Festival in Taiwan. Using a narrative research design, the study aimed to explore how festival participation influences personal growth, emotional engagement, and the preservation of cultural and educational values. A total of 25 participants—seven teachers and eighteen students—were selected through purposive sampling. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews, which experts validated to ensure depth and reliability. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using QUIRKOS, a visual and intuitive qualitative data analysis software. Three themes were of central significance. First, there was cultural immersion, learning, and personal growth reported by participants, contrasted with challenges such as strict timetables and cultural adaptation. Second, there were emotional experiences characterized by excitement, enjoyment, and a deep sense of awe that underpinned their most enduring memories of the event. Third, participants highlighted the significance of the sharing of story and experience in the passing on of festival values, with community engagement and legacy as the dominant themes that emerged. The research focuses on the power of global cultural festivals to transform identity, promote intercultural understanding, and enhance lifelong learning. The research adds to the general knowledge base regarding how these festivals are not only cultural events but also platforms for emotional enrichment and value-sharing, making festivals applicable in educational and community establishment contexts.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijhss.17.1.5


Keywords


arts festival, arts school, cultural education, high school for the arts, qualitative research.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Bagozzi, R. P., Gopinath, M., & Nyer, P. U. (1999). The role of emotions in marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 27(2), 184–206. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092070399272005

Bamberg, M., & Georgakopoulou, A. (2008). Small stories as a new perspective in narrative and identity analysis. Text & Talk, 28(3), 377–396. https://doi.org/10.1515/TEXT.2008.018

Bruner, J. (1990). Acts of meaning. Harvard University Press.

Bruner, J. (1991). The narrative construction of reality. Critical Inquiry, 18(1), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1086/448619

Chase, S. E. (2011). Narrative inquiry: Still a field in the making. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln (Eds.), The Sage handbook of qualitative research (4th ed., pp. 421–434). Sage.

Chen, C.-F., & Chen, F.-S. (2010). Experience quality, perceived value, satisfaction and behavioral intentions for heritage tourists. Tourism Management, 31(1), 29–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2009.02.008

Cohen, E. (2017). Cultural festivals and identity: Performing the liminal. In M. K. Smith & M. Robinson (Eds.), Cultural tourism in a changing world: Politics, participation and (re)presentation (pp. 133–148). Channel View Publications.

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.

Crossley, S. (2012). Youth participation in cultural festivals: Rites of passage and personal growth. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 15(3), 273–289. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367877911422082

David, C., & Okamura, A. M. (2010). Filipino cultural identity and international arts festivals. Asian Theatre Journal, 27(2), 276–298. https://doi.org/10.1353/atj.2010.0024

Getz, D., & Page, S. J. (2016). Event studies: Theory, research and policy for planned events (4th ed.). Routledge.

Gibson, C., & Connell, J. (2012). Festival places: Revitalising rural Australia. Journal of Rural Studies, 28(1), 58–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2011.09.001

Jamal, T., & Robinson, M. (2011). The Sage handbook of tourism studies. Sage Publications.

Kim, K., & Thapa, B. (2018). Emotional experiences in festivals: A study of cultural tourists. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 35(9), 1141–1153. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2018.1489763

MacLeod, N. E. (2006). The cultural role of festivals: Heritage, identity, and community. Tourism Recreation Research, 31(1), 15–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2006.11081496

Picard, M., & Robinson, M. (2006). Festivals, tourism and social change: Remaking worlds. Channel View Publications.

Polkinghorne, D. E. (1988). Narrative knowing and the human sciences. State University of New York Press.

Richards, G. (2019). Cultural tourism: A review of recent research and trends. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 38, 12–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2018.12.003

Richards, G., & Munsters, W. (2012). Cultural tourism research methods. CABI.

Richards, G., & Palmer, R. (2010). Eventful cities: Cultural management and urban revitalization. Routledge.

Riessman, C. K. (2008). Narrative methods for the human sciences. Sage Publications.

Somers, M. R. (1994). The narrative constitution of identity: A relational and network approach. Theory and Society, 23(5), 605–649. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992905

Turner, V. (1969). The ritual process: Structure and anti-structure. Aldine Publishing.

Xie, L. (2015). The role of cultural festivals in community engagement and cultural preservation: Case studies from Asia. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 21(3), 219–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527258.2014.957178

This paper may be cited as:

Fronda, R, M. (2025). Start of something new: narratological experiences of students and teachers at the Yilan festival. International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 17(1), 65-77. https://doi.org/10.63236/ijhss.17.1.5


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Print version: 1694-2620
Online version: 1694-2639