Collection Creator:

Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage  Search this

Type:

Archival materials

Introduction:

The first week of the 1975 Regional America program focused on the people of the Northern Plains (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas), particularly on the occupational life-styles related to agriculture and livestock. This is the region that is called the "breadbasket" and the economy of the area is based on grain crops, feed crops, and livestock production. The Smithsonian represented the agriculture of the area by growing on the Festival site wheat (the principal grain crop), alfalfa (a principal feed crop), and some typical plains grasses as well as sorghum and sunflowers. Livestock grazed on the National Mall and were used in demonstrations of herding techniques. Visitors saw varieties of threshing from individual manual techniques to modern mechanical combines. A daily tractor pull contest demonstrated not only the skills of the farmers in operating equipment, but also the pride they take in the power of their own carefully maintained machinery. Craft presentations included associated occupational and domestic crafts. For example, livestock-related crafts such as those involved with maintenance, auctioneering, leatherworking, blacksmithing, wagon making and repair, and metal working were highlighted, as well as key occupational skills related to livestock include horse handling, sheep shearing, and ropework. Functional but decorative domestic crafts were also demonstrated: piece quilts, braided and rag rugs, corn husk and rag dolls, toys carved from chips, noisemakers, whimmy diddles. Festival visitors could see and participate in a variety of folk dancing by different ethnic groups who settled in the Plains: Germans, Scandinavians, Ukrainians and Czechs. Northern Plains music is characteristically performed on instruments practiced in isolation such as the fiddle.These are usually played solo, but at the Festival they were also performed in combination. The character of the California Heartland region (second week of the Festival) is expressed by its flamboyant image, diverse landscape, and - of utmost importance - a 'Mediterranean' climate that makes outdoor living possible. It is also an area rich in ethnic communities, and many of these were featured at the 1975 Festival. Mexican American muralists from East Los Angeles completed a mural depicting their contribution to the Festival. Paper flower making and piñata making were demonstrated and taught to visitors, as were masa grinding and tortilla and tamale making. Chinese Americans from the San Francisco area performed a shadow puppet play twice daily. Various crafts including kite-making and the construction of paper ribbon fish welcomed audience participation. Three traditional games (an early form of yoyo, shuttlecock and cat's cradle) were demonstrated and taught. Portuguese American fisherfolk demonstrated boat building as well as net and lure making accompanied by traditional sea chanteys. A highlight of the Portuguese community is the "Festa da Espiritu Santu", a celebration involving a parade of decorated cows, ceremonial milking, a milk and bread feast and a traditional contest between solo singers who improvise verses, enacted on the Festival site from July 2 to 4. Unique to San Francisco is the tradition of cable car bell ringing. Cable car gripmen announced each session at the main California stage and dance floor, and competed for the bell ringing championship. A Greek father and son demonstrated traditional woven straw beehive construction and discussed bee-keeping and the agricultural use of bees. California Armenians wove rugs and spun wool. The joys of sociable dancing were shared by square dances, Portuguese chamaritas, Phillippine tinakling and an evening of waltzes. There were also examples of solo singing by Portuguese, Anglo, French, and black singers and group singing by Molokans, Anglos, Chicanos and blacks. Administrator for the Regional America program was William K. McNeil, with Charles Camp as Research Coordinator; Rayna Green served as Consultant.

Fieldworkers:

Northern Plains Researchers Metha Bercier, John Carter, Carey Cook, Larry Danielson, Sister Stephanie Dolyniuk, Karen Heinzman, Lynn Ireland, Constance Kane, Jens Lund, Janet McDonnell, Gina Newbold, Douglas Parks, Marjorie Sackett, Earl Sampson, Darrel Sawyer, Dorothy Shonsey, Scott Sorensen, Kenneth Stewart, Sherry Stoskopf, Robert Thompson, Robert Webb California Research Staff Coordinator: Bess Lomax Hawes; Assistant Coordinator: Barbara LaPan Rahm; Researchers: Justin Bishop, Joyce P. Bynum, Nicola Marguerite Deval, Nicholas Hawes, Michael Korn, Marilyn Salvador, Daniel Sheehy; Advisors: Stephen P. and Ethel Dunn (Molokan presentation), Elaine Miller (Mexican American presentation), Joanne B. Purcell (Portuguese presentation)

Participants:

Northern Plains Margaret Anderson, 1900-2002, singer, cook, Scandia, Kansas August Anheluk, 1917-2001, musician Leslie Anheluk, dancer James Baker, dancer Emerson Baker, singer Norman Baker, singer Wade Baker, dancer Donna Baranko, dancer Ann Basaraba, singer Roy Basaraba, singer Lydia Bears Tail, bead worker, cook & dancer Saunders Bears Tail, 1934-1998, dancer Linnea B. Briggs, 1893-1990, bobbin lace maker, Windom, Kansas Connie Burian, dancer Laudie Burian, 1915-2001, musician Lewis Calwell, 1895-1978, horse trainer, Belle Fourche, South Dakota Alvin Campbell, 1921-, fiddler, Omaha, Nebraska Marlys Ciscar, singer George Crow Flies High, agricultural implement maker, dancer Dan Dasovich, musician, Omaha, Nebraska Danny Dasovich, musician, Omaha, Nebraska George Dasovich, 1942-, musician, Omaha, Nebraska Peter Drakulich, 1926-1998, musician Frances Driver, Jr., dancer Harold C. Edwards, 1927-1992, sheep shearer, Edgemont, South Dakota Jeanette Evoniuk, 1923-2005, dancer Johnnie Evoniuk, dancer Laurence Evoniuk, singer Matt Evoniuk, dancer Matt Evoniuk, Jr., dancer Pearl Evoniuk, dancer Celia Fliginger, 1907-2003, cook, Freeman, South Dakota Jarle Foss, 1894-1992, fiddler, Scotland, South Dakota Dean Fox, dancer George B. German, 1902-1991, singer Hilda Goering, 1916-, quilter, Moundridge, Kansas Aaron Goertzen, 1921-1987, mandolin player, Aurora, Nebraska Dick Goertzen, mandolin player, Henderson, Nebraska Jacob C. Goertzen, 1919-1992, mandolin player, Henderson, Nebraska Delwayne Good Iron, 1943-2014, singer, war bonnet maker Velda Graber, 1912-1984, soap, sauerkraut maker, Marion, South Dakota Darrell Griffith, 1930-, horse handler, Faith, South Dakota Rose Hand, cook, quilter John Hanzek, 1919-1997, musician Elmus Henderson, 1908-1979, saddle, harness maker, Kearney, Nebraska Lyle Henderson, 1947-, saddle, harness maker, Kearney, Nebraska Mabel Howling Wolf, 1907-1989, cook, quitter Leslie Jeffery, cattle crew, Sturgis, South Dakota Margie Jeffery, ranch cook, Sturgis, South Dakota Mitchel Jeffery, 1951-, cattle crew, Sturgis, South Dakota William Jeffery, Jr., cattle crew foreman, Sturgis, South Dakota Betty Johnson, 1927-, rosemaler, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Edward Johnson, singer, musician Esther Jorgensen, 1908-1998, cook, Viborg, South Dakota ArvelIa Kenaston, 1934-, musician, Springview, Nebraska Robert Kenaston, 1928-2013, musician, Springview, Nebraska Roger Kenaston, 1954-, musician, Springview, Nebraska Donna Kordon, dancer Mary Ann Krush, singer Kathleen Laible, 1929-1996, canner, Howard, South Dakota Ann Larson, 1914-2003, cook, Aberdeen, South Dakota Bill Larson, 1896-1990, fiddler, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Luella Loganbill, 1928-, quilter, Moundridge, Kansas Glenn Lornev, tractor pull Eugene Mack, dancer George Mack, dancer Joyce Mack, dancer Verna Mack, dancer Don Malnourie, 1939-2005, singer Ben Makaruk, 1924-1999, singer Marie Makaruk, singer Bill Mastel, musician Mack Medakovich, musician Merle Messing, 1941-2007, tractor pull, Groton, South Dakota Alex Morin, dancer, singer Bill Nameniuk, musician Debbie Painte, bead worker, shawl maker, dancer Agnes Palaniuk, singer Billy Palaniuk, dancer Fred Penner, 1940-, musical saw player, Tyndall, South Dakota D. Peter Plechas, musician, Omaha, Nebraska Agnes Poitra, 1924-1999, dancer, Belcourt, North Dakota Leon Poitra, 1922-2003, dancer, Belcourt, North Dakota Harry Porter, 1902-1995, sheep shearer, Edgemont, South Dakota Ken Putnam, 1955-, fiddler, Rapid City, South Dakota Jean Roberts, 1932-, cornhusk doll maker, Axtell, Nebraska Wayne Robinson, sausage maker Alton Schlag, musician James Schwab, musician Larry Schwab, musician Billy Marlene Short, cattle crew, Piedmont, South Dakota Dennis Short, 1938-1984, cattle crew, Piedmont, South Dakota Marlene Sitting Crow, cook, dancer Murphy Sitting Crow, bustle maker, dancer Johnny Smith, auctioneer John E. Stratman, 1908-1989, agricultural spokesperson, Wilcox, Nebraska Wilhelmine Thue, 1902-1989, cook, Howard, South Dakota Joe Trottier, musician Mary Wallette, dancer, cook Earl Waltner, 1915-1979, blacksmith, Bridgewater, South Dakota Douglas D. Weber, musician Gene Weisbeck, musician Donna Wilkie, dancer, cook Edward Wilkie, dancer Helen Wilkinson, quilter Hugo Wuebben, 1910-1984, carver, Hartington, Nebraska Alice Yellow Wolf, bead worker Bert Yellow Wolf, 1939-1995, singer Joe Zacharias, 1933-, accordion, Wagner, South Dakota Marie Zaste, dancer, cook California Heartland Leslie Alamsha, dancer Juan Alvarado, 1930-, -- pregonero -- , -- guitarrista -- , -- jaranero Manuel Azevedo, caller, dancer, singer Nora Bogdanoff, 1913-1981, Molokan singer David Botello, muralist Jane Botieff, Molokan singer William J. Botieff, Molokan singer Francisco Carrillo, -- guitarrista Alfonso Chavez, charro Kate Chernekoff, 1922-1999, Molokan singer Peter Chernekoff, 1912-1988, Molokan singer Jeoffrey Chiang, special Chinese consultant Vivian Chiang, coordinator Richard Ching, Chinese yo-yo, shuttlecock, cat's cradle Dai T. Chung, musician, shadow player Marilyn Cunningham Cleary, fiddler Earl Collins, fiddler Nemo Concepcion, yo-yo demonstrator Danny Cruz, charro, Los Nietos, California Jack Cunningham, fiddler Van Cunningham, 1896-1984, fiddler, Bodfish, California Antonio Garcia Da Rosa, mandolin player Leonel Garcia Da Rosa, mandolin player Al Figueroa, singer, guitarist, Blythe, California Carmela Figueroa, singer Alex A. Galkin, 1920-1976, Molokan singer Juan Gandara, charro, vice president of La Alteña Alicia Gonzalez, paper crafts, Los Angeles, California Guadalupe D. Gonzalez, paper crafts, cook, Los Angeles, California Jose Luis Gonzalez, muralist, Los Angeles, California Rebecca Gonzalez, paper crafts, cook Blanche Gonzalez, crafts, cook Kenneth M. Hall, 1923-2013, mandolin player Marta Louise Hall, musician assistant Fermin Herrera, -- harpista Jorge Herrera, -- jaranero Maria Isabel Herrera, -- jaranera -- , -- requintera -- , dancer Chi-mei Kao Hwang, Chinese craft assistant Hubert Isaac, drummer Rinold Isaac, dancer Andrea Ja, shadow player Robert Ernest Lee Jeffery, 1915-1976, blues pianist, San Diego, California Kate Kalpakoff, Molokan singer Craig Ernest Kodros, bee hive maker George Harry Kodros, bee hive maker Anna Koh, northern Chinese cook David Koh, assistant northern Chinese cook Jim A. Korneff, 1916-1994, singer Julia Lazar, baker, spinner Robert Lazar, dancer Calvin E. Long, tinker, San Diego, California Pauline Loo, Chinese craft assistant Francisco Macias, charro Eddie Martinez, muralist, Hacienda Heights, California Heli Medeiros, 1921-2003, singer Nellie Melosardoff, 1913-2007, Molokan singer Anna Mendrin, Molokan singer John Mendrin, 1923-1989, Molokan singer Jonnie Kay Neavill, fiddler David Page, uilleann bagpiper Sara J. Patapoff, 1924-1993, Molokan singer Jack Pavloff, 1919-2000, Molokan singers' director Mary J. Pavloff, Molokan singer Dolores Pequeño, singer George M. Prohroff, 1937-2001, Molokan singer Pamella Ramsing, shadow player Rigoberto Rincon, charro, president of La Alteña Victor Romero, -- guitarrista -- , -- vihuelo Juanita Saludado, singer, Earlimart, California Paul Saludado, singer, guitarist, Earlimart, California Roy J. Samarin, 1920-1994, Molokan singer Don Jesus Sanchez, 1910-1983, violinist, Los Angeles, California Surma D'Mar Shimun, 1883-1975, dancer Joel Silva, -- festa -- coordinator, dairyman Jose V. Silva, tuna boat designer Manuel Silva, -- guitarrista Mary Silva, cook, flower maker Julia Silveira, -- guitarrista Rafael Furtado Simas, 1916-2006, violinist Rosa Maria Simas, dancer, baker João Soares, singer Shirley Sun, presenter Araks Talbert, baker, spinner Anna Tarnoff, Molokan singer Smith Tester, banjo player Eugene Ung, assistant southern Chinese cook Maizie Ung, kite making, paper folding, ribbon fish demonstration Agostinho Valim, 1917-2000, singer Laurindo Valim, dancer Manuel Vasquez, 1935-, -- requintero Moses A. Volkoff, 1892-1989, Molokan composer Ossie White, guitarist, Lakewood, California Roscoe White, 1923-2009, fiddler, Lakewood, California Margaret L. Wong, southern Chinese cook Judy Woo, assistant shadow player Jesse Wright, singer Jimmy Wright, singer, Fresno, California Walter Wright, singer, Fresno, California William Wright, 1914-1982, singer, Selma, California Annie Zolnekoff, 1924-2010, Molokan singer Paul Zolnekoff, 1919-2005, Molokan singer

Collection Restrictions:

Access to the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections is by appointment only. Visit our website for more information on scheduling a visit or making a digitization request. Researchers interested in accessing born-digital records or audiovisual recordings in this collection must use access copies.

Collection Rights:

Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections. Please visit our website to learn more about submitting a request. The Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections make no guarantees concerning copyright or other intellectual property restrictions. Other usage conditions may apply; please see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for more information.

Collection Citation:

Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1975 Festival of American Folklife, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier:

CFCH.SFF.1975, Series 8

See more items in:

Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1975 Festival of American Folklife

Archival Repository:

Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections

GUID:

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/bk5900565d0-2672-465d-92db-bc8e8f08e0c1

EDAN-URL:

ead_component:sova-cfch-sff-1975-ref1044