People living near to us and far away, struggle with tragedies and natural disasters (COVID-19,

Over the course of the semester, we have seen people living near to us and far away, struggle with tragedies and natural disasters (COVID-19, mass shootings, extreme weather events, etc.). As we have seen, folk traditions can be an important element of how people respond to/cope with such circumstances. Drawing specifically on course materials please discuss: 1) the ways in which narratives and/or rituals help people to handle difficult circumstances and to cope with traumatic experiences; and 2) how art and material objects allow individuals and collectives to express critical understandings of themselves and help them to come to terms with the world around them.