Publishers & Folklore Protection

The discussions on folklore protection potentially affect all creative industries, including publishing, as protectable folklore could include verbal and musical expressions (such as folk tales, folk songs), expressions by action (folk dances and plays) and many other elements that publishers and other creators may wish to include in their works. By way of example:

Local publishers of children's books and school books make reference in their works to the cultural context and environment of their readers. The retelling of folk tales or the depiction of the culture forming part of their readers' daily lives is part of the editorial content.

Similarly, many writers of fiction are inspired by their local customs, traditions and the social environment in which they were raised. References may be made in the works to some specific experiences important to their local culture.

Academic publishers publish works of scientists describing ethnological observations; others may publish medical research which is based on discoveries by indigenous peoples. In this area, there is a heightened awareness of the ethical implications of this kind of research.