An
individual who studies folklore and/or folklife for a living.
Often identifiable by their peculiar clothing, meager incomes, and the ability to talk about how "everyday
stuff" is actually pretty cool and meaningful in larger
scheme of things. As a profession, you could say that they are the ultimate collectors and bearers of tradition.
Tom: Hey, Dick! That
guy with the longish
hair, tweed jacket, and neatly groomed facial hair told me that the Paul Bunyan tall tale was actually a fake!
Dick: You just now figured that out? That
dude is a folklorist. He knows these things and is awesome because of it. Now go make me a sandwich.