Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Introduction:
More than 200,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in 139 countries since 1961, when the agency was established by Executive Order 10924. Signed by President Kennedy on March 1, 1961, the two-page Executive Order simply established "an agency in the Department of State which shall be known as the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps shall be headed by a Director." That person, appointed by Kennedy three days later, was Sargent Shriver, his brother-in-law. The U.S. Congress made it official on September 22, 1961, by authorizing the Peace Corps Act and appropriating $30 million for the new agency's first annual budget. The very first paragraph of the Act declares that the Peace Corps should "promote world peace and friendship" through three interrelated goals:
to help the people of interested countries meet their needs for trained workers;
to help the people in those countries better understand Americans; and
to help Americans better understand the people in those countries where Peace Corps volunteers are serving.
Half a century later, the annual federal appropriation had reached a high of $400 million in Fiscal Year 2010, but the three goals of the Peace Corps, its Congressional mandate, and its commitment to building world peace and friendship have never changed.
The 2011 Festival was pleased to host - and recognize - the Peace Corps volunteers who have served the organization since its founding fifty years ago. The Festival program built upon previous Folklife Festival programs that have examined occupational and organizational traditions. At the Festival, these occupational and organizational groups have each demonstrated their own sets of skills, specialized knowledge, and codes of behavior that not only distinguish them from other occupational groups but also meet their needs as a community. The fiftieth anniversary of the Peace Corps in 2011 provided a wonderful opportunity for understanding and appreciating its organizational and occupational cultures.
The Peace Corps program at the 2011 Festival brought together Peace Corps volunteers - both past and present - with roughly one hundred of the people with whom they have served from more than a dozen countries around the world in order to promote a greater understanding of world cultures. Together, volunteers and collaborating communities demonstrated to Festival visitors the experience and accomplishments of Peace Corps volunteers around the world. But they also looked forward: as the Peace Corps moves into its next fifty years, the inequities that existed half a century ago - poverty, disease, illiteracy, and hunger - still loom large in much of our world, often exacerbated by such contemporary challenges as climate change and HIV and AIDS. And as Festival visitors were reminded, the need for world peace and friendship is certainly as important today as it was fifty years ago.
James Deutsch was Curator; Jason Bowers was Program Coordinator; and Kim Stryker was Family Activities Coordinator. The Peace Corps Curatorial Advisory Committee included: Randy Adams, Shilpa Alimchandani, Marjorie Anctil, Anne Baker, Daniel Baker, Lenny Bankester, Lynette Bouchie, Karen Chaput, Kristen Fernekes, Angela Glenn, Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Lynn Kneedler, Nicole Lewis, Bob Michon, Jody Olsen, Kirsten Radewagen, Amber Smigiel, Frank Smith, Shelley Swendiman, and Lori Wallace. Kristen Fernekes was Program Manager for the Peace Corps and Chris Lisi was Peace Corps 50th Anniversary Director.
The program was produced in partnership with the Peace Corps. Major Donor support came from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. UPS Foundation was a Contributor to the program.
BELIZE AND GUATEMALA - Garifuna Collective featuring Umalali
Joshua Arana, 1979-, vocals, drums, Stann Creek, Belize
Marcela Aranda, 1967-, vocals, percussion, Belize City, Belize
Sofia Blanco, 1953-, vocals, Livingston, Guatemala
Desiree Diego, 1974-, vocals, percussion, Stann Creek, Belize
Dayaan Ellis, 1975-, vocals, guitar, Dangriga, Belize
Denmark Flores, 1977-, vocals, drums, Belize City, Belize
Sam Harris, 1952-, vocals, guitar, San Ignacio, Belize
Al Ovando, 1975-, vocals, bass, Stann Creek, Belize
Tim O'Malley, 1978-, returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Belize), Portland, Oregon
BOTSWANA - Naro Giraffe Dance Group
Stella Xoo Bob, 1974-, dancer, Ghanzi, Botswana
Kuela Kiema, 1968-, dancer, Ghanzi, Botswana
Xhare Qoma, 1952-, dancer, Ghanzi, Botswana
Xonxae Qubi, 1968-, dancer, Ghanzi, Botswana
Bau Xhega, 1956-, dancer, Ghanzi, Botswana
Ed Pettitt, 1983-, returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Botswana), Houston, Texas
GEORGIA - wine-making
Lili Useinashvili, 1988-, wine maker, Tbilisi, Georgia
Johnny McRae, 1985-, Peace Corps Volunteer (Georgia), Tallahassee, Florida
GHANA - shea butter production
Rukaya Amidu, 1969-, shea butter producer, Damongo, Ghana
Shietu Braimah, 1958-, shea butter producer, Damongo, Ghana
Gladys Sala Petey, 1973-, shea butter producer, Damongo, Ghana
Rahama Wright, 1979-, returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Mali), Washington, D.C.
GUATEMALA - bottle wall
Reyna Floridalma Alvarado Ortiz de Ramírez, 1965-, wall builder, Granados, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala
Zonia Judith García de García, 1959-, wall builder, Granados, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala
Laura Kutner, 1984-, returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Guatemala), Portland, Oregon
JAMAICA - organic farming
Raymond Martin, 1968-, urban gardener, Kingston, Jamaica
Brian Wedderburn, 1965-, urban gardener, Bluefields, Jamaica
Patrick Marti, 1983-, Peace Corps Volunteer (Jamaica)
KENYA - basket weaving
Ngaharin Lebitileg, 1957-, basket weaver, Ngurunit, Kenya
Munten Lebitilig, 1963-, basket weaver, Ngurunit, Kenya
Lilian Nalilian Lekadaa, 1977-, basket weaver, Ngurunit, Kenya
Nkerisapa Lewano, 1967-, basket weaver, Ngurunit, Kenya
Ntomulan Loibor, 1978-, basket weaver, Ngurunit, Kenya
Laura Lemunyete, 1965-, returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Nepal), Maralal, Kenya
KYRGYZ REPUBLIC – felt, silk, wool artisans
Gulmira Chonbagyshova, 1963-, craftsperson, Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan
Mahabat Sultanbekova, 1980-, craftsperson, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Elena Urakayeva, 1982-, craftsperson, Karakol, Kyrgyzstan
Burul Zhakypova, 1977-, craftsperson, Kochkor, Kyrgyzstan
Andrew Kuschner, 1987-, Peace Corps Volunteer (Kyrgyz Republic), Montclair, New Jersey
MALI - bogolan "mud cloth" bags
Moussa Fofana, 1976-, bag maker, Sévaré, Mali
Simbè Sankaré, 1961-, bag maker, Sévaré, Mali
Issa Téssougué, 1976-, bag maker, Sévaré, Mali
Vina Verman, 1981-, returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Mali), Washington, D.C.
MOROCCO - carpet weaving
Fatima Akachmar, 1968-, weaver, Ribat El Kheir, Sofour, Morocco
Khadija Ighilnassaf, 1970-, Taznakht, Ouarzazale, Morocco
Anna Hermann, 1983-, Peace Corps Volunteer (Morocco), St. Louis, Missouri
PERU - weaving and pottery
Emilio Antón Flores, 1967-, craftsperson, Chulucanas, Piura, Peru
Danitza Lourdes Ramos de Gonzalez, 1963-, weaver, Callalli, Arequipa, Peru
Hilda Maribel Sifuentes Altamirano, 1981-, weaver, Huamachuco, La Libertad, Peru
Maria Cecilia Yarlequé Flores, 1976-, weaver, Catacaos, Piura
Camille Smith, 1980-, returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Peru), Crofton, Maryland
PHILIPPINES - tinikling dance
Ermalyn Bayeng, 1989-, dancer, musician, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines
Alvin Blanco, 1991-, dancer, musician, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines
Elvie O. Carbonell, 1972-, chaperone, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines
Jenny Rose Castro, 1992-, dancer, musician, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines
Crystalyn De la Cruz, 1992-, dancer, musician, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines
Shiena Diza, 1991-, dancer, musician, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines
Jeffrey Juliano, 1991-, dancer, musician, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines
Roberto Lebuangen, 1992-, dancer, musician, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines
John Carlo Plimaco, 1992-, dancer, musician, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines
Amelia L. Tuquero, 1961-, chaperone, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines
Leah Ferrebee, 1978-, Peace Corps Volunteer (Philippines)
Tom Ferrebee, 1979-, Peace Corps Volunteer (Philippines)
TONGA - grass weaving
Mele Vaikeli, 1962-, weaver, Nuku'alofa, Kolomotua, Tonga
Elena Borquist Noyes, Peace Corps Volunteer (Tonga)
UKRAINE — Opika Performance Group
Rudolf Dzurynets, 1990-, musician, Perechyn, Zakarpattia, Ukraine
Oleh Hodovanyy, 1991-, musician, Perechyn, Zakarpattia, Ukraine
Oksana Kydora, 1988-, musician, Perechyn, Zakarpattia, Ukraine
Maksym Olah, 1981-, musician, Perechyn, Zakarpattia, Ukraine
Nastia Sudakova, 1992-, musician, Perechyn, Zakarpattia, Ukraine
Shoni Turianytsia, 1990-, musician, Perechyn, Zakarpattia, Ukraine
Denys Varodi, 1980-, musician, Zarichevo, Zakarpattia, Ukraine
Anzhela Vartsaba, 1992-, Perechyn, Zakarpattia, Ukraine
Ihor Vyshnyak, 1992-, musician, Perechyn, Zakarpattia, Ukraine
Shelia Slemp, 1972-, Peace Corps Volunteer (Ukraine)
UNITED STATES - Peace Corps World Map Project
Barbara Jo White, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Dominican Republic), Cullowhee, North Carolina
UNITED STATES - Trees, Water & People
Sebastian Africano, 1977-, Fort Collins, Colorado
Stuart Conway, 1953-, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Guatemala), Fort Collins, Colorado
Claudia Menendez, 1977-, Fort Collins, Colorado
ZAMBIA - appropriate technology
Henry Chilufya, 1967-, Lusaka, Zambia
Kofi Taha, 1970-, Watertown, Massachusetts
Alexandra Chen, 1986-, Peace Corps Volunteer (Zambia)
Elizabeth Spellman, 1985-, returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Zambia), Woburn, Massachusetts
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: 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution.
