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Type:
Archival materials
Introduction:
From the State of Michigan, ninety of its residents came to the 1987 Festival to speak about and demonstrate some of the rich traditional culture from that region. To help create a festival setting in which performers of valued traditions could speak about their experiences and heritages with performed music, active demonstrations, and spoken words seemed a most appropriate way to celebrate the sesquicentennial of that geographically endowed, historically important and culturally rich state.
Throughout Michigan's history those who migrated to the state have been drawn by - or have themselves introduced - fishing, trapping, mining, lumbering, farming, and automobile manufacturing. The lore of such occupations, combined with the rich ethnic heritage of those who built Michigan, form the essence of the state's traditional culture. Michigan today is home to more than one hundred different nationalities, including the country's largest population of Finns, Belgians, Maltese, and Chaldeans; the second largest numbers of Dutch, Lebanese, and French Canadians; and perhaps the largest concentration of Muslim Arabs (in southeast Dearborn) outside the Middle East. Detroit alone is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the country. The heritage of these diverse groups - along with those of Native, Euro Americans, and Afro Americans who migrated to Michigan throughout the state's history - give Michigan folklife its distinctive characteristics.
Complementing a full performance schedule that highlighted Michigan's diverse musical heritage, ongoing demonstrations included lure making, fly tying, boat building, Native American quillwork, black ash basketry, finger weaving and beadwork, Dutch wooden shoe making, furniture carving, Afro American quilt making, Palestinian needlework, Ukrainian textiles and egg decorating, ski and sleigh making, decoy carving, rag rug weaving, cherry harvesting & pruning, evergreen nursery techniques, net making, and ice fishing.
Betty Belanus, Laurie Sommers, and Thomas Vennum, Jr. served as Curators for the Michigan program, with Laurie Sommers also serving as Program Coordinator and Barbara Lau, as Assistant Program Coordinator.
The Michigan Program was made possible by the Michigan Sesquicentennial Commission and the Michigan Department of State.
Fieldworkers and consultants:
Fieldworkers
Dennis Au, Michael Bell, Horace Boyer, John Alan Cicala, Timothy Cochrane, Gregory Cooper, C. Kurt Dewhurst, Stev'e Frangos, Roland Freeman, Janet Gilmore, Alicia María González, James Leary, Yvonne Lockwood, Marsha MacDowell, Phyllis M. May-Machunda, Mario Montaño, Earl Nyholm, Marsha Penti, Roger Pilon, Peter Seitel, Eliot Singer, Laurie Sommers, Nicholas R. Spitzer, Thomas Vennum, Jr.
Consultants
George Cornell, LuAnne Kozma, Robert McCarl, Oscar Paskal, Barry Lee Pearson, Joseph Spielberg
Presenters:
Dennis Au, Horace Boyer, C. Kurt Dewhurst, Paul Gifford, Janet Gilmore, James Leary, William Lockwood, Yvonne Lockwood, Marsha MacDowell, Earl Nyholm, Mario Montaño, Roger Pilon, Joseph Spielberg, Nicholas R. Spitzer, Benjamin Wilson
Participants:
Crafts
Samiha Abusalah, Palestinian needle worker, Dearborn, Michigan
James Baker, wooden shoe maker, Holland, Michigan
Catherine Baldwin, 1935-2001, Ottawa quill worker, Suttons Bay, Michigan
Amnah Baraka, Palestinian needle worker, Dearborn, Michigan
Chou Chang, Hmong textile artist, Detroit, Michigan
Rita L. Corbiere, Ojibwa quill worker, storyteller, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Alice Fox, 1916-1995, Ojibwa quill worker, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Russell Johnson, 1918-, blacksmith, Strongs, Michigan
Arnold Klein, Jr., Ukrainian embroiderer, egg decorator, Hamtramck, Michigan
George McGeshick, Ojibwa birch bark canoe builder, Iron River, Michigan
Mary McGeshick, Ojibwa cradle board decorator, Iron River, Michigan
Yer Yang Mua, Hmong textile artist, Detroit, Michigan
Julia Nyholm, 1913-2005, Ojibwa finger weaver, bead worker, Crystal Falls, Michigan
Gust Pietilla, 1906-1999, ski, sleigh and tool maker, Bruce Crossing, Michigan
Agnes Rapp, 1920-2003, Ottawa-Potawatomi black ash basket maker, Berrien Springs, Michigan
Glen Van Antwerp, cedar fan carver, Lansing, Michigan
Lloyd Van Doornik, mas¬ter carver, furniture maker, Holland, Michigan
Julia Wesaw, 1908-1992, Potawatomi black ash basket maker, Hartford, Michigan
Rosie Wilkins, 1905-1994, quilt maker, Muskegon, Michigan
Foodways
Helen Mohammed Atwell, 1934-2003, Lebanese cook, Dearborn, Michigan
Marguerite L. Berry-Jackson, storyteller, cook, herbalist, Lansing, Michigan
Lucille Brown, 1917-1996, pasty maker, Wakefield, Michigan
Marie L. Cross, storyteller, cook, herbalist, Mecosta, Michigan
Eustacio Y. Flores, Jr., Mexican-American cook, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Anna E. Lassila, 1909-2001, pasty maker, rag rug weaver, Mohawk, Michigan
Elda Peltier, 1915-2005, muskrat cook, Monroe, Michigan
Hudson "Huddy" Peltier, 1912-2003, muskrat cook, Monroe, Michigan
Music
The Hammon Family, bluegrass, country, gospel music -- The Hammon Family, bluegrass, country, gospel musicGeorge "Dub" Hammon, bass player, vocalist¬, Davison, MichiganMarge Hammon, mandolin player, vocalist, Davison, MichiganMel Hammon, fiddle player, vocalist, Davison, MichiganRon Hammon, guitar player, vocalist, Davison, Michigan
Judy & Her Suchey Brothers, polka band -- Judy & Her Suchey Brothers, polka bandMike Kindt, bass player, Alpena, MichiganBill Suchey, Jr., trumpet player, Alpena, MichiganBob Suchey, saxophone player, Alpena, MichiganJim Suchey, accordion player, Alpena, MichiganJudy Suchey, drummer, Alpena, MichiganMike Suchey, trumpet player, Alpena, Michigan
Rev. Andre Woods & The Chosen, gospel music -- Rev. Andre Woods & The Chosen, gospel musicSederia Butler, soprano, Detroit, MichiganDawn Byers, alto, Detroit, MichiganStephanie Colfield, drummer, Westland, MichiganEarl Fisher, tenor, Detroit, MichiganCraig Harris, bass guitar player, Cleveland, Ohio, MichiganGrenee Hunter, alto, Detroit, MichiganWillie Lucas, tenor, Detroit, MichiganRenee Thomas, soprano, Detroit, MichiganDana Wilcox, soprano, Detroit, MichiganRev. Andre Woods, arranger, director, Detroit, Michigan
Sensational Gospel Tones -- Sensational Gospel TonesAlfred Charleston, Grand Rapids, MichiganDonald Charleston, lead guitar and bass player, Grand Rapids, MichiganJuanita Charleston, Grand Rapids, MichiganRev. Leon Charleston, Grand Rapids, MichiganHenrietta Fields, Grand Rapids, MichiganTanya Johnson, vocalist, drummer, Grand Rapids, MichiganNathaniel Smith, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Sugar Island Boys, Anglo-French string band -- Sugar Island Boys, Anglo-French string bandRené Coté, fiddle player, Ontario, CanadaHoney McCoy, 1904-1988, piano player, vocalist, Sault Ste. Marie, MichiganJoe Menard, 1935-, guitar player, vocalist, Sault Ste. Marie, MichiganTom Stevens, Dobro player, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Bill Stimac & Sons, music from the Keweenaw Peninsula -- Bill Stimac & Sons, music from the Keweenaw PeninsulaBill Stimac, 1923-, accordion player, Houghton, MichiganMark Stimac, 1956-, banjo and guitar player, Houghton, MichiganRandy Stimac, 1958-, accordion player, Houghton, Michigan
Thimbleberry, Finnish music -- Thimbleberry, Finnish musicEd Lauluma, 1921-2005, fiddle player, Chassell, MichiganAl Reko, 1933-, accordion player, vocalist, St. Paul, Minnesota, MichiganOren Tikkanen, mandolin and guitar player, Calumet, Michigan
Tomicic Brothers Orchestra, tamburitza music -- Tomicic Brothers Orchestra, tamburitza musicMike Cani, cello player, Detroit, MichiganJoel Novosel, bass player, Detroit, MichiganGeorge Patrash, pugaria player, Detroit, MichiganMike Tomicić, first brac player, Windsor, Ontario, CanadaPeter Tomicić, second brac player, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Yemeni Folkloric Dance Group, Arab village music -- Yemeni Folkloric Dance Group, Arab village musicSaleh Alward, dancer, Dearborn, MichiganMohsin Elgabri, dramatist, dancer, Oud player, Dearborn, MichiganAlsanabani Faris, dancer, Dearborn, MichiganSaeed Masjahri, dancer, Dearborn, MichiganM. Aideroos Mohsen, dancer, Dearborn, MichiganAbdo Ali Saeed, dancer, Dearborn, MichiganOmar A. Wahashi, oud and tabla player, Dearborn, Michigan
Rose Mae Menard, 1901-1988, come¬dienne, storyteller, herbalist, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
Art Moilanen, 1916-1995, vocalist, accordion player, Mass City, Michigan
Les Raber, fiddle player, Hastings, Michigan
Isaiah "Dr." Ross, 1925-1993, blues musician, Flint, Michigan
Occupations
Esperanza Alcala, ever¬green nursery worker, Grand Haven, Michigan
Steven B. Fouch, 1952-, cherry grower, extension agent, Grawn, Michigan
Elias Lopez, 1935-2004, evergreen nursery worker, Grand Haven, Michigan
Damien Lunning, trapper, Mio, Michigan
Judith Lunning, trapper, game cook, Mio, Michigan
Pedro Rodriguez, ever¬green nursery worker, Grand Haven, Michigan
Personal Experience Narrative, Flint Sit-Down Strike
Fred Ahearn, 1910-1991, Flint, Michigan
Burt Christenson, Flint, Michigan
Shirley Foster, Flint, Michigan
Berdene "Bud" Simons, Newport Richey, Florida
Nellie Simons, Newport Richey, Florida
Waterways
Josephine F. Sedlecky-Borsum, sports shop owner, fly tier, Baldwin, Michigan
Ray Davison, Great Lakes fisherman, Menominee, Michigan
Dick Grabowski, 1931-2006, Great Lakes fisherman, Menominee, Michigan
Charlie Nylund, 1933-, Great Lakes fisherman, Menominee, Michigan
Jay Stephan, river guide, boat builder, Grayling, Michigan
Elman G. "Bud" Stewart, 1913-1999, lure maker, Alpena, Michigan
Jim Wicks, ice fisherman, decoy carver, McMillan, Michigan
Ralph Wilcox, Great Lakes fisherman, fish smoker, Brimley, Michigan
David Wyss, river guide, boat builder, fly tier, Grayling, Michigan
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: 1987 Festival of American Folklife, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.