One State, Many Worlds
Folklife exhibition celebrates works of immigrant artists in N.C.
By NCDNCR | Photos courtesy of North Carolina Arts Council and North Carolina Folklife InstituteThis September, the North Carolina Folklife Area at the National Folk Festival will celebrate artists from around the world who now make their home in the Tar Heel State.
“‘One State, Many Worlds’ is a rare and wonderful opportunity for visitors and residents to experience the diverse traditions from our immigrant communities together in one venue in Greensboro,” Department of Natural and Cultural Resources secretary Susan Kluttz says.
The 76th annual National Folk Festival will feature more than 300 of the nation’s finest musicians, dancers and craftspeople, including more than 40 performing groups on seven stages, a dance pavilion dedicated to nonstop participatory dancing, and a Family Stage with performances appealing to both the young and young at art.
At the N.C. Folklife Area, new North Carolinians from Africa, Syria and Turkey, among others, will share artwork, crafts, musical, culinary and cookery traditions. The lineup features stars of la musica latina, revered Southeast Asian and African artists, and many other musical masters. You can see fine cooks reveal the secrets of their favorite homeland dishes, watch crafts demonstrations, and try out games and sports from around the globe. This area will be divided into the following three experiences. Scheduled performances include:
Traditions Stage
Music and dance
- Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba, Griot and kora player
Senegal (Carrboro) - International Community Mass Choir, Gospel choir
Central and West Africa (Charlotte) - Awalom Gebremariam, Bahlawi music
Asmara, Eritrea (Durham)
On Sunday, this stage will open with music from Greensboro’s Montagnard Community. Performers include:
- Y’Brom Ayun, Traditional musician and basket maker
Buon Mui, Daklak Province, Vietnam (Greensboro) - Janarde, Traditional Montagnard dance
Central Highlands of Vietnam (Raleigh)
Cuisine and Cookery Area
Unique foodways
- Margarita Delgado, Salvadoran cuisine
San Salvador, El Salvador (Greensboro) - Judelande Dumé, Traditional Haitian cuisine
Les Cayes, Haiti (Mount Olive) - Lanoy Thammavongxay, Lao cuisine
Savanhakhet, Laos (Morganton)
Masters and Makers Showcase
Old and modern arts and crafts
- Marlene Makita, Hair braiding
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (Greensboro) - Faustin Dumé, Self-taught painter
Les Cayes, Haiti (Mount Olive) - Ruben Olmos, Custom lowrider cars displayed
Second generation Mexican-American (Burlington)
In addition to the N.C. Folklife Area, themed festival areas include the Family Activities Area and North Carolina Arts Marketplace. The lineup of performers and artists was curated by the North Carolina Folklife Institute and North Carolina Arts Council. The N.C. Folklife Area is a project of the council, an agency of NCDNCR.
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