FROM THE DIRECTOR - New York Folklore Society · FROM THE DIRECTOR VOICES: A New Medium ofExchange ith this special double issue, the New York Folklore Society launches a new section

FROM THE DIRECTOR

VOICES: A New Medium ofExchange

ith this special double issue, the New York Folklore Society launches a

new section called Voices. For years this newsletter has been offering a

mix of news about the New York Folklore Society and other organizations in the

field; commentary and discussions of policy and broad cultural issues, articles

about folk arts projects and programs around the state, and information about

events, publications, people. In most issueswe have also run at least one feature that

presents the content of folklore and folklife in the voices of its creators-interviews,

photo essays, stories, and so on.

In Voices we will have space to gather more of these features and add recipes,

photographs, songs, descriptions of folklife-the traditions of family, community,

work, and play. Most of all, Voicesis a medium for exchange, a place for you to share

your traditions, your ideas, your ways of doing things. Send in a family story or

recipe, your description of a traditional community event, or a letter that com-

ments on something you've read in Voices. This is your forum. We hope you will use

it, and have fun with it.

Voices in the newsletter is part of a larger project that will include a web site and

a series of informalworkshops around the statewhere people can learn more about

folklore as a way of looking at their own lives and the traditions of their communi-

ties. We'll have more on these programs in our next issue.

Comings and Goings

A t the 1997 NYFS Annual Meeting, held on September 6 during our Fall

Conference in Seneca Falls, we bade farewell to our three most senior

board members and welcomed five new members who bring exciting perspectives,

knowledge, and skills to the Society.

Dan Wardjoined the board in 1985. He served two terms as secretary/treasurer

and editor of the newsletter, duringwhich he helped lead the Societyoutofa period

of organization crisis, and three terms as president. Ellen McHale was elected in

1987 and served two terms as secretary treasurer. She was also president for three

years, succeeding Dan in both positions. And Peter Voorheis, who began his board

tenure in 1988, this year completed his third term as secretary/treasurer. Dan,

Ellen, and Peter have provided remarkably dedicated leadership to the board and

the Society for a decade. We are most grateful for all they have done. The board and

I will miss them in our ongoing deliberations, and we will welcome their continued

involvement with the New York Folklore Society.

Joining the board this year are Dan Berggren, a singer, songwriter, and collector

from the Adirondacks and professor of communications at SUNYFredonia; Kathy

Condon, afolklorist and Community Projects Coordinator at the Brooklyn Children's

Museum; as well as a long-time NYFS member and frequent contributor to this newsletter; MadahaKinsey-Lamb, founder and Folk Arts Program Director of Mind-

Continued on page 16

N E W Y O R K

FOLK LORE N E W S L E T T E R

Editor: Karen TaussigLux

Design: Diane Ghisonc

Typese~ting by Creative Types

Printed on recycled pnper by Weidenhammer Printers

The New York Folklore Society Newsletter is published quarterly and provides information and services to individuals and organizations involved with folk arts.

Please observe the following copy deadlines: October 1 for the Winter issue (Jan.- Mar.); Jan. 15 for the Spring issue (Apr.-,lune), April 1 for the Summer iswe (July - Sept.); and July I for the Fall issue (Oct: Dec.). Arhcles should be submitted on disk using a standard Macintosh or DOS word processor. If this is not possible, please contact the editor in adwnce.

New York Folklore Newsletter Karen Taussig-Lux, Editor 420 North Jackson Street

Media, PA 19063 (610) 627-0246

New York Folklore Society, Inc. P.O. Rox 130

Newfield. New York 14867

John Sutcr. Executive Director Deborah Clover. Administrative Director

Voice: (607) 273-9137 Fax: (607) 273-3620

e-mail:,jsnyfsOaol.com

New york Folklore Eglc Zygas, editor

P.O. Box 48. Lenox Hill Station. New York, NY 10021

Roard of Directors: Todd DeGarnio. President;

May Zsvolinski, Vice President; Da\4tl Quinn, Secreta~y/Treasurer; Dan Berggrm. Kathleen Condon,

Ed Franquemonl, Elsie Freeman Finch, Madaha I(inscy-I.amb. Nelida Perez.

Elly Shodell, Gretchen Sorin, Sally Ycrkovich

FOLK ARTS FORUMS FOR '98

The following forums are currently in the works:

March 1998, "Documenting One's Own Community," co-sponsored by the Hallockville Folklife Center and Museum Farm on Long Island.

April 17, 1998, "Local History, Folklore and Community," co- sponsored by the Lower Hudson Conference, location TBA.

DateTBA, "OccupationalFolk- lore," co-sponsored by the Arts of the Southern Finger Lakes.

Keep an eye out for future an- nouncements. If you have an idea for aforum topic or your organization would be interested in co- sponsoring a forum, please give Deb Clover a call at the NYFS office, (607) 273-9137.

NYFS RECEIVES DHP ARCHIVES GRANT

NYFS hasreceived a$15,257grant from the Documentary Heritage Program to continue the Folk Ar- chivesproject into itsseventh year. In this phase of the proJect folklorists Faye McMahon and Nancy Groce are working with archivists Nancy Johnson and Nancy Langford to assist ten selected collections of folk cultural documentation throughout the state to create written plans providing for the future care of the collections. Project archivists will write collec-

continued on page 16

MENTORING APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

NYFS invites readers to apply to our new Mentoring and Profes- sional Development Program. A partnershipwith the Folk Arts Pro- gram of the New York State Coun- cil on the Arts has enabled us to expand our technical assistance program, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. Small grants are now available for a vari- ety of short- and long-term


Meet the NYFS Board

Continuing our saaees of selfauthored board member profiles, we introduce Gretchen Sorin and Madaha Kinsq-Lamb. Cretchen is Director of the Cooperstown Graduate Program and has been on our board since 1996. Madaha is Director of the Mind-Builders Community Folk Arts Program and joined the board this fall. Herfeature article on the next two pages weaves the s t q of how she was drawn to folklore into a description of her innova- tive and highly successful folk arts program for

young People.

Gretchen Sorin Joined in 1996

The only folk musician that Gretchen Sullivan Sorin knew about when she came to the Cooperstown Graduate Program in 1974 was James Taylor. She hadjust graduated from Douglass College, Rutgers Univer- sitywith a degree in American Studies and wanted to work in museums. She had no idea about the study of folklore and life. Her interest was then Victorian culture and architecture. Although she learned how to accession artifacts and properly handle museum collections, it was the fieldwork in American folk culture that really challenged her and captured her interest. After a year of gathering oral histories, studying barn styles and reading Henry Glassie she became a museum educator at Herkimer Home State Historic Site in Little Falls, NY. Two years later she moved with her husband, Martin, to Washington, D.C., where she learned to be an administrator asDirector of GadsbyisTavern Museum. After the birth of her first child, Meredith, known in New York museum lore as the world's most perfect child for her long tolerance of museum opening events, Sorin returned with her family to central New York to work as a museum consultant. After a few years she found that her real love and talents were as an exhibition curator, and she has specialized in this area since then. The influence of the Cooperstown experience on her approach to exhibitions was significant. She often employs oral histories, divergent viewpoints, controversy, and the voices of the people. Sorin has worked for more than 200 museums as a consultant and has served asguest curator for more than 30 exhibitions. She writes frequently about museum practice and African American history. Significant exhibitions include: "Bridges and Boundaries: African Americans and American Jews," The Jewish Museum, 1992, and 'Wil- derness Cure: Tuberculosis and the Adirondacks," The Adirondack Museum, 1994. In 1994, Sorin was appointed Director of the Cooperstown Graduate Program, a position that she is enjoying im- mensely. CGP continues to train aspiring museum curators, directors, and educators to listen to the voices of the people. Sorin lives in Springfield Center, NYwith her husband and two children. She really dislikes writing about herself.

Gretchen Sullivan Sorin. Photograph by Frank Rollins

Madaha Kinsey-Lamb

See ortitles by Mind- Builder interns Atrion Roimundi and Nereida Johnson in our new Voites Sedion

4

Mind-Builders' Community Folk Arts Program Madaha Kinsey-Lamb

Madaha Kinsey-Lamb, one oJour newest board ,members, founded Mind-Builders CreativeAfis Centerin 1978and served asExecutive Director for 12 years. Her abilities as an educator and an administrator rest on years of experience in public schools, as well as her BA in education and MA in educational administration. She writes and p @ m s poetly and is a n author of children 5 stories. She lived in the Bronx for over 20 years and now lives in Brooklyn with her husband Andrew, a comfioser and musician, and her five-year-old

son limeka. She also has a grown daughter, Saran, and a grandso'k, K%hanti, who is six. In addition to directing the Community Folk Arts Program she works as a consultant to other notrfm+ro$t oqanizations.

hen the spring of 1988 arrived, I had been Executive Director and Founder of Mind-Builders Creative Arts

Center in the Bronx for ten years, and had had asudden, emancipating revelation-I didn't want the job. Not any more. I was determined to create another kind of life for myself, and to begin what became a two year process that would have Mind-Builders, my "child," emerge under new leadership-with exciting new ideas, and weaned for long term

Dr. Robinson made the trek from California to the northeast Bronx for six years-that firstwin- ter, and five subsequent sum- mers-training adolescents each term in the art and science of fieldwork and taking them on a journey from the familiar ("What story did your parents tell you about where babies come from?")to their cultural and historical roots. In addition to as- signmentson which studentsgath- ered stories and facts from elder family members, Dr. Robinson would bring folk artists in for students to interview and accompany them on fieldwork outside the center.

An informal apprenticeship developed as I sat in on some of Dr. Robinson's workshops each year, and often accompanied her on a search for a doo-wop singer in some apartment building, or to restaurants, bars, a senior center. Doing this work, I learned a great deal from the ease with which she

viability. It was around this epiphanous time that 1 received

a flyer from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. They were having a three day conference entitled 'The Arts of Black Folk." The promo- tional literature spoke of an exciting opportunity to examine some of the folklore and folk art of people of African descent. While Mind-Builders was providing professional instruction in dance, music, and theater for close to 1,000 mostly Black and Latino youth and adults at that time, I wasn't exactly sure what was meant by the terms Black "folklore" and "folk art."

As an African American educator, and the administrator of a cultural institution in the community, these seemed like terms I should know. An even more compelling reason for going to the conference was the fact that I was thoroughly intrigued by the offerings listed in the flyer: how did a cappella gospel singing, Cowboy Carlos Fester with intern Deon Pierre on Level

double dutch, and like codfish cakes fit to- 1% field trip to Bronx stable. Photograph by Marilyn Nance

gether? At the conference the enthusiasm, vast knowledge, and love of the

work that the renowned folklorist and UCLA professor Dr. Beverly Robinson shared as she presented folk artists and concepts to us, reeled me in as if I were a hungry, wide-mouthed fish. I wanted our young people to learn about this, to understand and appreciate the culture and traditions that are all around us everyday, to have their real lives and those of their families be the "stuff' of learning.

The following week at our center in the Bronx I started making calls and asking questions. My first conversation with Dr. Robinson was electric. She envisioned the whole concept of Mind-Builders Commu- nity Folk Arts Project, adapting her college-level course to train our teens to be young folklorists. She knew how to find folk artists and how to involve the community in learning about the artists and about themselves through a culminating "Living Museumn-a community- wide festival featuring the artists and interns involved in the project.

conversed (no tjust "in tewiewed") and made friends in the community. Her sincerity, respect, and humor proved irresistible.

Dr. Robinson passed the torch on to me in 1994, and I became Project Director. This year, the New York Folklore Society's Mentoring Program supported two days of consultation to develop a curriculum structure for the new, more advanced course. We were fortunate to find a creative professional, Sharon C . Clarke, to work with the program.

One of the goals that Sharon and I have worked toward this past summer has been to begin devel- oping some of Dr. Robinson's skill, appreciation, and knowledge in our young recruits. Eighteen students from ages 12 to 17 were enrolled-five for Level 11, and 13 for .beginner's Level I-meeting three days a week for three hours aday of classand/or field research.

For Level I students, the mis- sion was basic training to "discover" the traditionsandfolkartistswithin their families, their immediate neighborhood, the borough of the Bronx and beyond. The interns participated in regular workshop activities to help them identifyfolk- lore/folk art, share personal and family histories, and strengthen their speaking and listening skills. There were also exercises to promote introspection, examine cultural perceptions, and develop a sense of community within the group. Writing tasks included nar- ratives, the development of interview questions, creating folk artists' biographies and festival intro- ductions, thank you letters, note taking, and journal writing. Begin- ner students would initially role- play and then groupcritique interviews. In subsequentweeks, they conducted individual and team interviews with folk artists both in class and out in the community.

Sharon Clarke guided the Level I1 interns (who had completed the Level I training), to further refine their interview skills, complete more extensive independent field

assignments (i.e. a tape recorded essay on sounds in the city), and do special documentation assignments. Working both individually and in teams, they interviewed, photo- graphed, and au- dio/video recorded in the homes of multi-generational families, such as the local Budhu family of tabla musicians from Guyana; Fred and Mario Mena, a 1 i h d Level I1 intern Kenya Lonesome researches local hair salons.

Photograph by Marilyn Nance. Garifuna musicians from Honduras; and a group of Gambian families living in one Bronx apartment building.

Thanks to a technical assistance grant from the Lila Wallace- Reader's Digest Community Folklife Program, both the beginner and more advanced students reaped tremendous benefit from extended training in documentation techniques by accomplished professionals in the field. The other major sources of program support included the Folk Arts Program at New York State Coun- cil on the Arts, the New York City Department of Youth and Com- munity Development, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and Citibank. The large number of qualitydocumentation materials created this summer will

Chona Gil demonstrates Garifuna dance during interview with Level I folklore interns at Mind-Builders Creative Art Center.

be donated to the archives of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

This work with young people and the everyday ministers of living history and culture is exhila- rating, as well as challenging. Many highlights this past summer made the work enormously re- warding. There were times in the midst of an interview when in- sightful questionswould suddenly come from interns whom I thought we hadn't reached. I came close to cheering when our teen intern, Leo Simmons, a rap aficionado, asked Trinidadian- born steel drummer Ricardo Jerome to recite the lyrics to some of the calypso music that he played on the steel pan. How did I re- strain myself when it was clear that Leo liked the lyrics and fol- lowed up by asking Jerome if it was thought of as rebel music at one time, the way rap is now? Jerome agreed wholeheartedly and shared the history.

A combined total of 48 folk artist/informants and "ministers of culture" participated in the workshops, fieldwork, and festival activities. This number in- cludes surprise visitors, like the ten Hip Hop dancers from Japan and stateside who accompanied our invited guests, Rocafella and Kwikstep on their interview and demonstration at Mind-Builders.

The ninth annual Community Folk Arts Festival was held August


Luna Park, one of the great Coney Island amusement parks in 1906. Courtesy of Richard Snow

Steve Zeitlin is executive director of City Lore in New York City. His column is a regular feature of the Newsletter.

6

Coney Island: Building on the Memories Steve Zeitlin

t the close of the documentary Coneylsland, his-

torian Elliot willensky suggests that "Where land and water meet, wonderful things always happen. That means to me that Coney Is- land will forever be an o ~ ~ d r t u -

I I

nity-because that intersection of sand and waves, the kind of light that you have, the kind of smells that you have, evokes in people, all people, powerful, primitive, creative urges."In recent mon ths, developer Bruce Ratner proposed an endosed multi-million dollar sports complex for the now aban- doned site of Steeplechase Park. At City Lore, we bklieve a sports complex a boon to any other neighborhood will only block the magical waterfront light, air con- dition the salt air smells, and squelch the creative urges that Coney has always inspired.

~ 4 a l l ~ impdrtant, it threatens to break a chain of associations and memories by erecting a structure that is hardly in keeping with Conev Island's historv of seaside amusement parks. Coney Island is amongwhat Michael P. Smith calls the city's "cultural wetlands," urban sites that need to be preserved and nourished as a result of the confluence of history and geogra- phy. The Ferris wheels and obser- vation towers on Coney were seen by the turn of the century immi- grants before they ever gazed on the Statue of Libertv. But the gods

'2

of fun are in retreat on Coney. Building the Sportsplex will take away the final swath of magical waterfront land. Coneywas named after the Dutch word for hare, and with the proper development, it can still ~ u l l a rabbit from the hat.

Preservationist James Marston Fitch argues that the real value of a place is defined not in terms of dollars and cents but in terms of the quantifiable human energy that was put into it. That energy is more than materials and labor. It consists, too, of all that happened within the stories, customs, and

memories that adhere, generation after generation. For a century, ~one;~sland has been associated with fun, fantasy, and outrageous attractions. Its significance is in the sum of the memories.

Memories and stories are lay- ered on Coney Island. The site of the proposed Sportsplex is the very place where Steeplechase Park's memorable and politically incorrect Blow Hole Theater (later dubbed the Insanitarium) blewjets of air through grates and sent women's dresses billowing up around their ears. Visitors dis- mounting from the famous iron ~ tee~ lechase horse race were led onto a stage, where a clown played tricks on them to the delight of an audience of up to a thousand visitors. Some women knew about the attraction and held on to their skirts, but little Angelo Brienzo, the four foot tall clown, prodded them with an electric rod. As Martha Gronski remembers, "Little Angelo zapped me with this stick, and both mvhandswent up, along with my skirt. Everybody's laughing their head off except me. I was so mad."

Steeplechase closed in 1964, but tales are still told about the Park's founder George Tilyou, who got his start selling box& of "Coney Island sand" as souvenirs to tourists and founded the famous park in 1897. When a fire razed the park in 1907, he put up a sign that read: "I have troubles today that I did not have yesterday, I had troubles yesterday that I have not today. On this site will be erected shortly a better, big- ger, greater Steeplechase Park. Admission to the burning ruins 10 cents." Leo Wollman tells the story that Tilyou also took pen- nies melted into a molten mass bv the fire, chopped them apart and sold them for a quarter apiece.

For years the official doctor for Steedechase Park. Wollman re- called when a patient from one of the side shows came into hisoffice

and said, "I burned my sister." He answered, "So bring your sister in." She lifted her dress, and there was her sister, a Siamese twin, full formed but attached to her side. When she burned her twin iron- ing, she herself felt the pain.

I was listening to these tapes of oral histories of the park recently when my young daughter ex- claimed, 'They're not going to de- stroy old Coney Island are they?"

"Old Coney Island?" I answered, 'You're onlytwelve years old! What do you mean by the old Coney Island?" She described eating Nathan's cheese fries and seeing the contortionist put himself through a clothes hanger at Side- shows by the Seashore a few years ago. For a new generation of children, many Black and Latino, it's still the beach, its still an amusement center, and it's still beautiful. The gods of fun still reign supreme on Coney Island. The thrills still churn to.memories.

Steeplechase Park's landmark Parachute Jump and the site for the proposed sportsplex. Photograph by Elaine Norman

These recollections figure into the value of the place and should be taken into account in any plans for its future. An amusement area (such as the plan proposed by Horace Bullard more than a decade ago) would build on these memories; a Sportsplex mightwell put them to rest. As folklorist Alan Lomax warns: "If we continue to allow the erosion of our cultural forms, soon there will be nowhere to visit and no place to truly call home."

Welcome to thefirst issue ofVoices, a new section we have added to the newsletter. In Voices zue plan to present to you, our readers, examples in ward and image ofthe traditions practiced by the peopb and communities of our state. We want to hear j b m you! Send us family stmies, interviews, recipes, reminiscences, anecdotes, songs, how-to columns, and more. Send in photographs of peopk, places, objects, and community events, Write us with your responses to what you see in this issue and ideas for future issues. What would you like to see more o f Less o f Don 't be strangs! Join us as we karn a h t each other and have a few laughs together.

THE FINNS OF THE SOUTHERN FINGER LAKES It did not take log for the people who attended the Mid-Atlantic Folklore Association meeting, "The Finnish Sauna: Folkloreand VenzacularArchifecture"(see report on page 15), to realize that coffee and pulla, a dense, rich sweet bread laced with cardamom, are mainstays of Finnish hospitality. The following offerings from members of the Finnish community of the Southern Finger Lakes reinforce this impression. Coffee and Wlla are both context and title for Richard Koski's interview with his grandmother and great aunt who reminisce about saunas in their community. Following it are comments on these favorite foods from several members of the Finnish community, drawn from the archives of the DeWitt Historical Society. Lastly we present the Finn's favorite recipe for pulla, in case readers are tempted to try their own hand at it.

Coffee and Pulla With Hilma and Olga Richard Koski (w is a third generation Finn who grew up on a chicken farm in the T o m of Ulysses, near Ithaca. He is a Jine traditional musician, having karned to play button accordian from hzs father, William. Below he interviews his grandmother, Hilma Kannus Koski Wainio (KW) born in 1899and hisgreat-aunt, Olga Kannus Hannula Rissanm (OR), born in 1897.

HW: The sauna fire was started a couple hours before sauna.

OR: Before you go into the sauna put a little water on the rocks to make steam.

HW: Asauna with wood heat is better. I don't know why. It just is. I like a sauna in a separate building

Sauna, Ray and Sal Matta, Spencer

rather than in the house. Itjust feels better.

f ih ta~ were made of birch or cedar but since there wasn't much of that around here we used maple.

OR: My grandson Kim has a sauna, and he uses it a few times a week.

HW: Families took turns having sauna. It was a social occa- sion. People would come to our house for sauna and then next week it might be at someone else's house. The women would go first and after that the men

L. to R.: Olga would go. Then we would all have coffee and sand- wiches afterwards. Sometimes they had beer after the sauna, but it was mostly the men.

We wouldn't let anyone go in the sauna if they had been drinking because they might hurt themselves.

OR: The old sauna gang is gone. IHW: Friday night was sauna night, and Saturday

night was hall night. Young people would go to the hall and dance like crazy.

Ed Pylkas, Bill and Tauno Koski played for dancing. They'd have band rehearsals at our house that would scare the dog.

Everyone made their own sauna stoves. They were never bought. They might have been made from old barrels.

Continued 1 ~ x 1 page

Rissaner, Hilma Wainio, and Karen Koski [daughter of Richard], Photo courtesy of Richard Koski

When we first moved here and before we built our sauna, we used to go to sauna at Koskenheikki's [Henry Koski's] on South Hill Road. They had avery big sauna the size of this room [12 x 16 feet]. It was made of logs and had abig stone stove. It had to warm all day.

I don't remember any smoke saunas around here. You could tell a smoke sauna because there was black soot over the door ... Uohn I. Koski, her first husband] told me about one he saw in Finland. I remember seeing one in Upper Michigan but never around here. It was dug into a hillside, and logs were put in the hole for sides. The roof was covered with birch bark. It was a smoke sauna. There was no chimney. The fire was built in thestonestove, and thestoneson top were heated. Then the fire was let to go out, and the door was opened so the smoke could go out.

When the smoke was gone i t - was all right to go in.

When we were making hay we would warm the sauna every night. Boy did it feel good after making hay and being all hot and dirty.

OR: My mother used tar soap in the sauna. Itwas black and made with tar. Her hair was blond and never turned gray because she used tar soap.

RK: What did the people around here who weren't Finnish think about the sauna? I talked with a woman who said that some people at

- Lautella and penkki (benches) with water because seen them buckets and ladel in sauna, sauna of walking at night across the George and Jean Alve, Spencer. snow to a little building with

In the l950s, these diseases drove mony Finnsout of thicken farming.

8

- smoke coming out of it where

they would sit and cook themselves. HW: Many of them did try the sauna, and many

liked it. When you went to sauna you would go sit on the

high bench. This was called lautella. You would then thiow some water on the rocks to make loqrly. While you were sitting on the high bench you hit yourself with the vihta. After you worked up a sweat you would go to the low bench to wash. his low bench was called the penkkz. Then you would pour water over yourself to rinse, and you were done.

OR: Itwasn't a good idea to eat two to three hours before sauna.

When we first came here we were dairy farming, but then we went into the chicken business.

HW: We were always chicken farming here. Dur- ing World War I1 the chicken business was real good. Then diseases came.

The Finnish farmers around here started the Spencer Co-op. We could buyjust about everything we needed there; hardware, groceries, feed, coal.

They would pick up the eggs from the farmsaround here, and every week the big truck would take a load of eggs to New York City.

HW: Some of [the other mer- chants] didn' t like it, but there was nothing they could do. My father, Andrew Kannus, came to this country in about 1890. He went to Upper Michigan. Many Finns went there

Sauna stove, sauna of George and Jean Alve, Spencer

because the cli- mate was about like Finland-real cold ... He then went to Maynard, Massachusetts where he met his wife Elizabeth. She had come from Finland. She was working in a factory there ...

After they were married they moved to Palmer, Michigan where he worked in the ore mines ...

I was sixteen when I married.John in Negaunee, Michigan. He hadcome to thiscountryfrom Ilmajoki, Finland in 1905 when he was 21. He worked in the iron mines in Negaunee. Bill was born there in 1917, and Tauno was born there in 1921.

The mines were a dangerous place to work. If we stayed there John probably wouldn't have lived too long because of miner's consumption [lung dis- ease]. He did eventually get it, but he lived 26 years here in Spencer doing farming. He wouldn't have lived that long if he would have stayed in the mines We moved here in 1930. My parents had moved here about ten years earlier to a farm on Van Woert Road in Crumtown. Olga and her kids had come here in about 1927.

There were ads for farms for sale around here in papers in Upper Michigan, and the ads made the farms sound so good. But they were really so run down. Someone was renting the house that we bought. There was a big crack under the door for the wind to come in and no porch on the house.

OR: After our place on Dawson Hill Road burned, George and I moved to a farm on the main road to Candor. This house was red, and it had been called the Red Onion because it was a speakeasy during the prohibition.

RK: What did the Yankees think of all the Finns moving into this area?

HW: Well, they were glad someone was buying the old farms and fixing them up. Most people treated us well. Some people didn't understand; they thought we were Mongolians or wild animals. Some of these people had lived just around here all their lives and didn't know too much about anything outside of their area. Continued on page 14

Pazamentry Jack Tepper

Jack Tqbp~rgreu u p in Brooklyn in the 1930s. As a boy, sittzng around with his father's relatives and friends, hewas swept up in a n undercurrent ofAshkenazic, E a s t m EuropeanJewish culture. It prouided a disfient way offightingback: yewish humor is very, very similar to the Oriental martial art ofjujitsu; there is some humor that confi-onts, but the old humorrolls zuith the blows, it rolls away to deaden the impact of the blow, and make something funny out o f the hatred and dmpair. " The following s t q was told to Steve Zeitlin and appears in his book, Because God Loves Stories: An Anthology of Jewish Storytelling (See book announcement, page 17).

uring the 1930s my uncle needed work, and somebody got him a job in the garment cen-

ter. He became a presser. It was during the Depres- sion, and during the Depression things were very hard. If you came home with ten dollars a week, you really did quite well.

As a matter of fact, I have a story that's connected with it. There was Sam Cohen, and he was a salesman of pazamentry. Are you acquainted with what pazamentry is? Pazamentry is the thing in the garment trade where you don't deal with the fabric, but what you deal with is the lace trim, the embroidered trim, the fancy buttons-it's the decoration that's added to a garment, and it's manufactured separately and applied to the gown-that's pazamentry.

Well, Sam Cohen was a salesman of pazamentry- very successful, forty years. And a successful salesman doesn't even have to sell anymore, all he does is come in and say, "haven't gotten an order from you in a long time," and he gets the order. They're very successful.

Well after forty years Sam is going to retire, and he's talking to another salesman, and he says, 'What I really want to do is, there's a Mr. O'Connell who owns a dress house, and he would never buy anything from me 'cause he hates Jews. And to me, the high- light of my career, is before 1 retire I could sell him an order."

So he goes to Mr. O'Connell to sell him an order. Mr. O'Connell looks at him and saysvery sardonically, "I hear you're retiring, Cohen. You've been bothering me for years, and you know I don't deal with Hebes. But, okay, you want an order, I'll give you an order- token order." He says, "You have any red ribbon?"

Cohen says, "Sure we got red ribbon. Whatwidth?" He says, "Half inch." "We got half-inch ribbon." "You got it." "How much you need?" "All you need is an order, right? Just to show you

sold me. I want a ribbon thatwill reach from your belly button to the tip of your penis. That's as big a piece of ribbon as I want." And Mr. O'Connell throws him out of his factory.

Six weeks later, Mr. O'Connell goes to open up his factory, and in front of his door are five trailer trucks. And they are unloading thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of yards of ribbon. He runs upstairs, gets on the phone, and says, "Cohen, you miserable animal, what the hell did you send me?"

He says, "Look Mr. O'Connell. Exactly what you asked me is what I sent you. My belly button, everybody knows where it is. You said till i t reaches the tip of my penis. Fifty-five years ago 1 was circumcised in a little town outside of Warsaw. Poland ..."

Amsterdam's Caribbean Cultural Arts Festival The sixth annual Latin American Caribbean Cultural Arts Festival took place in Amsterdam, NYon August 16 and 17. This important community event has grown over the years from a small street festival, to a larger gathering in a downtown mall parking lot, to a crowd of hundreds at its current location at Guy Manor Park, along the beautiful shores of the Mohawk River. It features traditional music, dance, rood and folklife demonstrations.

Left: Domino lessons at the Festival.

Right: The Salvation Army (SAOCCO) Youth Drumming and Dance Ensemble, directed by Alex Torres.

Mind-Builders Community Folk Arts Program: Voices From the interns

Below ure contributionsJi-om two of the i n t a s who partook last summer in the Mind-Builders Community Folk Arts Progmm,fiatz~red on paps 4 and 5 of thenm.sletler. Atrion Raimundi worked as a h e l IIintern and collected the following pzece of family folklore from his parents. Nera'da Johnson recorded this jumpojbe rhyme during the course ojher internship.

Family Migration & How My Parents Met Atrion Raimz~ndi, age 14

My grandfather, Juan Aviles, migrated from Hondu- ras. Central America to the Bronx, New York in the late 1960s, because he was accepted into a college here. After college, and before my grandmother arrived, he became a printer for Playboy Magazine. Three years later his wife and family (including my mom who was five) moved here also.

Grandmom was from British Honduras where they only spoke English and Garifuna. She actually taught my mom to speak English before she taught her how to speak Garifuna because she knew that they were going to move to the United States. Grandmom worked in a sewing factory, while studying to be a nurse.

My future father came here from Santo Domingo at about the same age that my mom came here. They grew up in the Crotona Park section of the Bronx where my father, Raymond Raimundi, and my mother, Dora Aviles, went to the same elementary school. They lived two blocks away from each other. Mom says that they had seen each other, but they

Nereida Johnson (right. camera) and Rena Polanco (center) interview Hip Hop dancer Kwikstep with visiting artists from Japan and Florida.

really met in the sixth grade. My mom had seen my father riding his bike around the block. My Dad was very popular because he was light-skinned and all. She wasn't too fond of light- skin. Itwasn't until my Dad

went on a vacation to Florida and came back darker, that she really started to like him.

My mom especially liked the yellow ten-speed bike that Dad had. She was the only girl who could ride a bike in the neighborhood. There were three-speed bikes, and some five-speed, but not many kids owned ten-speed bikes like he had. This really got the attention of my mom, in addition to the fact that she liked him and heard that he liked her. She intro- duced herself, and they became good friends

throughout junior high school. Even though they went to two different high schools, they still dated because they only lived two blocks away from each other.

Hand-Clapping Rhyme transcribed Iry Nereida Johnson, age 14

Down down baby, down down the roller coaster Sweet sweet baby, I'll never let you go Chilli chilli coco pops Chilli chilli pow Chilli chilli coco pops Chilli chilli pow Grandma, Grandma, sick in bed She called the doctor and the doctor said All you need is a walking stic'k 1 said up, shaky shaky, down shaky shaky I said in out, all around I said in out, all around So freeze. '

Continued from page 5

14th in a nearby playground and adjoining school yard. The audience tripled this year to over 400. In addition to the unprecedented number of' artists involved, the strength and quality of skills demon- strated by tradition bearers like Christine King, the quilter, our 86 year-old storyteller Myrtle ~ a r G a l h o of Tennessee, and woodcarver Augustine Cruz were all noteworthy.

In the handball court young people made murals on paper under the guidance of graffiti artists who study under Bronx's TATS CRU; as well as an in t r e duction to Brazilian capoeira led by Caxias Filadelfo, his wife, and students. Under the tent, youth and elders quilted, while drum making and woodcarving took place on either side of them. People said over and over how much they enjoyed themselves and what an important event it was. Elder storyteller Myrtle Caravalho did not want to leave as scheduled. Since she was having so much fun around the festival, she decided to stay until the very end. Yetwith the growth came plenty ofglitches and much to learn for next time.

In the end the most telling assessment came from the folklore interns. The following are taken from a few of the students' fill-in program evaluations: The most important thing I learned in the program is "...who I am" and "...to respect others." "Thanks for letting me be a part of it."

Night of the Wild Hunter Catherine Charron LaBier

And now, a tale for Halloween, or, All .Soul> Day, ifyou will, which zs the following day. There were, elders told Whitehall woodsman Ben Raino, "...lots of loup-garou running wild up

aroundEllenberg. "Theelders warned Marie Giles about theglowingeyes oftheloup-garou in theswamp bordering Whitehall's "Elbozo" on the Champlain Nawows. She was urged not to walk that way coming homsfiom work in the silk mill, especially at the chill October full moon.

Catherine LaBiersays theloup-garou was a "She-Dmil who had disguises. " Accordingto Catherine, October was a very dangerous time, when "...restless souls not abk to go to Heaven wm looking fm someone to take their places so that they might be released." These roamingsouls, she was told, took on the many irresistible guises ofthe Dmil: a beautiful women, a handsome man, or dancing lights which dreu you toward them.

The ,following story was told by Catherine CaBier to folklorist Vaughn Ward. It will appear in Vaughn's forthcoming book, Six Foot Man-Eating Chicken and Other Adirondack Tales They Told Me. Catherine grew up in the "Elbow," in Whitehall's French-speaking community, hearing old tales from herpeat-pandfather, a retired canalleron the Champlain Canal. Je Me Souviens, a cassette recording of' Catherine LaBier telling her family tales, is availabb.from Catherine Charron LaBier, 4 Charron Park ~v-&&e, Whitehall, NY 12887.

-

ean Chasser lived with his family at the edge of the woods. He loved to hunt. Day after day, he

would alwaysgo offalone into the woods. It seemed as if every day he would be gone a little longer than the day before. Itwasgetting to be the month of October. Mama was getting very worried because Jean was gone so long. So she talked with Papa about it. She had Papa go and whittle Jean a cross. Mama made Jean a leather strap so he could hang the cross around his neck. Jean would scoff at Mama worrying so much about his being in the woods during October. She tried to warn him, "All those lost souls are looking for someone to take their places. You have to be careful, especially on All Soul's Eve.

One morning Papa says to Jean, "I'll walk a ways with you." He says, "You know, Jean, something else is happening to you. There's more than just the hunting. Tell Papa."Jean told Papa he had met a pretty girl whowouldjoin him in his hunting. She had lovely red silky hair. "Oh Jean! You have to be careful! There's not too many red-haired women up here. That can be very dangerous."

Jean just smiled and continued to walk. He spent several days and nights with his red-headed young

Catherine LaBler tells story to granddaughter. Photograph by Nicole Keys.

Photograph by Nicole Keys.

girl. On one of his trips home, Mama warned him, "You know, it's October, the loupgnrou is around and looking for the souls. You have to be careful."

He says, "Oh, Mama! Wolves follow me all the time. You shouldn't worry. I even feed them."

"Oh, Jean, you have to be careful. It's the loupgarou I'm afraid of. They're just so dangerous."

Jean just smiled. He didn't really believe in the lmp-garou. He thought itwas alljust an oldstory, so off he went hunting. Before long, it was getting close to the eve of All Soul's Day, and he was lhinking of Mama. He told his red-headed girl. 'You know, I think I will go home for All Soul's Day. It would rest and ease Mama. She worries so about me." And the red-headed girl says, "Oh well, all right, but first we'll have a good dinner, and you can rest a while before you start back. "

When he came back from hunting that day she had two birds roasting. They sat by the fire, and they ate, and afterwards she lit up his pipe. As they sat back and watched the fire getting lower and lower, Jean said, 'You know, I have to get back." But she kept cuddling closer in his arms, until, as he held her, he fell asleep and slept for several hours. As it began to be towards morning, he woke up.

"Oh, no!" he said. "I wanted to go home this evening. Mama's going to be so worried." His red- headed girl cuddled closer. All of a sudden, she started to lick his cheek. She never did that before! When he opened his eyes and looked down, he wasn't holding a beautiful red-haired girl: he was holding a wolf who hacl nice, soft red hair!

Jean's heart twinged. He knew itwas the loupgarou that had been stalking him all this time. Jean knew he wouldn't be going home again. If he had his choice he would have warned all those young fellows who like to go out into the woods to be careful of the loupgarou.

Not only would they steal your heart, they would steal your very soul!

The Whale on the Erie Canal Francis Caraccilo

Francis Caraccilo told this s t q aper the Friday night dinner held at the Deershead Restaurant during this year's NYT;S fall conference in Seneca Falls (see the r$& on page 15). Francis is a Seneca Falls native and works as the town 's I&toric Presmation Ofjcer, Village Planner and as Director of the Seneca Falls Urban Cultural Park.

ell the story has almost two beginnings really, one is the official story. The one

that. was promoted was that the whale,'in June of 1888, was killed off the coast of Cape Cod. And at the

time it was supposedly

Largest Whale. Photograph courtesy of the Seneca Falls Historical Society.

the largest while ev& killed offAmerican wa- ters. It weighed 75 tons, I believe, and was 65 feet long. One story has it was a sperm whale-I'm not too sure. That's the official start of the story. The unofficial story was it that the whale actually was killed in a collision with a ship in New York Harbor. I'm not really sure which one is true, but they're both pretty good stories.

Either way, when this ship, or when this whale was killed, it was decided not to process the whale, although they did process its tongue. I& tongue- oh boy, I'm going to start forgetting num-

bers now-but it weighed quite a bit and produced quite a lot of oil, I think 120 gallons of oil ... I think that the tongue weighed like close to 1000 pounds. It was big!

So instead of processing the entire whale, it was decided to take this marvel on tour ... [and to] embalm it. And it took, I believe, 1500 gallons of fluid at a cost of $3000 to embalm the whale. And, of course embalming fluids back then weren't what embalming fluids are today, and one rumor had it that most of the fluid was made up of whiskey. Anyway the whale went on tour along the east coast visiting seven states and all the principal cities for about two years before it was decided to bring the whale on tour through the New York State Canal system. And of course after two years it was beginning to get a little ripe. So the promoters made a practice of, whenever they stopped in a port to display the whale, they would first purchase up as much volatile fluids as they could to help keep the whale as fresh as possible. And that almost always was whiskey.

So eventually the whale tnade its way to Seneca Falls on the CayugaSeneca Canal. It was, I believe, November 1890, and the promoters charged 15 cents for adults and 10 cents for children to come in I

and see the whale. And they guaranteed that if for any reason you could prove that the whale was not genuine, you would get your money back. And appar- ently it was a real whale.

Now when they took the whale on tour they fitted its mouth out as a reception room, and they boasted that a 6 foot tall gentleman could stand upright with his hat on in the mouth of the whale. And they also boasted that at times they had 25 young ladies and their teacher having teain the whale. And once there was even a gathering ofa dozen gentlemen having an oyster dinner in the mouth of the whale. So this was quite a marvel. And of course the further inland you went, the more exciting the idea of seeing a whale would be.

But as I said, the whale was beginning to get really ripe after two years on tour, and with all that whiskey thrown over it. Rut it was still drawing a large crowd. After its successful two day stay in Seneca Falls, the next stop upriver was Waterloo. And when the whale arrived in Waterloo, it was once again treated in the usual fashion. And unfortunately, some young boys, um, there is no niceway ofsaying it, they setfire to the whale. And the whale was, well one story was that the whale was completely destroyed. Another which I've heard ... had i t that the whale was pretty heavily damaged by the fire, but not completely destroyed. And after that disaster the promoters tried to get the whale back into the Erie and float the whale to Rochester. And you've got to understand the whale wasn'tjust floating on the water of course, it was on a barge. Butwhen they tried to get it to Rochester the health officials barred it from the city. I don't blame them one bit.

Well disappointed but not without always having fresh ideas, the promoters backed it down the canal, took it up the Oswego Canal and out into Lake Ontario with the hopes of going by lake to Rochester to promote the whale. Unfortunately, before they got to Rochester a storm came up and swamped the whale, which sent the whale to the bottom of Lake Ontario. Which means that somewhere, someday, someone is going to do some lake bottom archeol- ogy, and they're going to find whale bones.

That is the story of the whale.

Captain Billy and the Whale George W a r d

And below i.v,folklorist and muszcian George Ward's version of the story oflhe whale which will be released on

George's next recording of Erie Canal son,qs.

1. In the year of eighteen fifty-five, luly the thirteenth day,

T h e whaling bark Eliza from old Hudson bore away;

Her crew stout hearts ancl seasoned hands, but one would cost her dear,

A farm boy down from Cropseyville, still wet behind the ears.

She left Manhattan town astern, bound for the arctic ground,

Where every man aboard her hoped his fortune would be found:

But to their great confusion, in a voice that rasped and shook,

The lookout hollered, "Thar she blows!" a mile off Sandy Hook.

Chorus: There's cider on the table and the scuttle's full of coal,

'The teams are winter-pastured, and we've scrubbed the decksand hold;

We're mudlarked here 'ti1 April, and the wind it blows a gale,

We'll deal a hand and sing ofcaptain Billy and the whale.

2. "Away, all boats! the captain cried; 'tis a whale to bring us luck!"

And so it seemed, for soon the farm- boy's boat the whale had struck.

The hundred-kithorn line played out, the whaleboat bore away,

O n a wild Nantucket sleighride, u p the tide through New York bay.

Past ships at anchor waiting For the turning of the tide,

Past steamers, lighters, ferrys, u p the Hudson she did glide,

Past the Palisades and Harlem, with the farm boy doing fine

'Til he dropped his oar and pan- icked, grabbed the axe and cut the line.

3. Now Captain Billy Mclntosh, a canaller bold and true,

Sailed out of Bushnell's Basin, haul- ing salt, and timber too;

H e was last boat of an upstream tow on the laker Beby G.

When he spied that rogue cetacean, headed inland from the sea.

He never stopped to count the cost, but bolted down his rum,

And hollered to his driver, "Cast us loose, ye lazy scum!"

He seized the Betsy S boathook; and as the whale flew past,

He gaffed the trailing harpoon line, and swiftly made it fast.

4. Oh , what a race there than ensued, for Betsy, she was light,

And the whale towed her northward, all that day and half the night;

They swept right past the t ~ ~ g and tow, they crossed the Tappan Zee,

'Twas off Storm King she rolled fin- out, next morn at half-past three.

The night boat down from Albany was startled by the sight,

Of Bill aboard the whale's head, in the early morning light;

For the tug was claiming salvage and Bill was cussin' blue,

But it cost him twice the rate, to tow the whale and Betsy too.

5. Butwhen they came to Albany, and Billy hired a crane,

His driver went to Mass, and swore he'd never drink again!

Bill laid the whale on Betsy 'sdeck, and o n its side he wrote,

In six foot letters, "Fifty cents, to see what's down my throat!"

H e hired agang ofsidecut idlers, dosed 'em u p o n rum,

And marched 'em down its gullet. like the saints to Kingdom Come.

Knives and pumps and picksand shov- els, wheelbarrows hauled the hor- rors out;

In aweek he'd cleaned her slick as any sportsman cleans a trout!

6. When the sheriff came to dockside, with complaints about the smell,

Bill's genius reached for pinnacles n o mortal tongue can tell;

For h e bought a load a whiskey, off a scow in from the west,

And embalmed the whale in fourteen tons of old Kentucky's best.

The whale's nose lay on Betsy's bow, the tail draped o'er the stern,

4nd screw-jacks closed its jaws, tbr ducking bridges in their turn.

Bill rolled a length of carpet down the whale's gaping throat,

4nd lit the way with gas lamps, off a wrecked excursion boat.

7. As west they towed from Albany, the news flew o n ahead;

And many a stout lock-tender, swore he wished old Billy dead!

For crowds trooped down that carpet, paid the price and took Bill's dare

To rock where God satJonah, in Bill's mother's rocking chair.

A window in the whale's side-its cur- tains neatly pressed-

Cast light o n Billy's maiden sister, Amy (primly dressed),

At a wheezy parlor organ, o h it made great many weep,

To rock while Amy pumped, "Rocked in the cradle of the deep"!

8. But all good tales have endings, sure, and this one's sad to tell;

In spite of Bill's embalming skills, the whale began to swell.

It stuck fast in the weighlock shed a t Syracuse, you see;

And it cost Bill all he'd cleared, to hire the teams to drag her free.

The commissionersdecreed the whale could go n o further west;

So they towed north to Oswego, for some thinking ancl a rest.

Bill tooka tow for Rochester, but never made the town;

In a storm o n Lake Ontario, the Betsy C. went down.

9. Some say that Billy made the land, while others say he drowned,

But every lush that walked the streets of old Oswego town,

Was ready o n the shore next spring, with nets and poles and sticks,

For the eighty-nine proof salmon run of eighteen fifty-six!

And away down south in Jersey, by the shores of Sandy Hook,

An old man runs a boarding house; he's harmless by his look,

Though he rambles in his stories and spends every summer's day,

With a boathook, on the seawall, gaz- ing east across the bay.

The Finnish Cookbook, Beatrice A. Ojakangas (Crown Publishers 1964)

FINNS From page 8

RK: My father told me of seeing the Ku Klux Klan in their white robes and hoods riding on their horses in front of the Finn Hall inVan Etten sometime in the 1930s.

HW Yes. We were having singing practice inside the hall. A bunch of them had a log that they were

trying to break down the door with. They didn't break it down, and they must have gotten scared and left.

OR: I remember when George was working outside in a pair of shorts. I guess they hadn't seen shorts before because someone said they thought he was probably too poor to afford a whole pair of pants.

Pulla Memories From the Archives oJthe DeWitt Historical Society, intervimtrr, Susan Eleuterio

Sylvia Knuutila Kent: You wouldn't have Christmas without pulla. I use the pulla recipe from TheFinnish Cookbook. I use more yeast, 2 or 3 packages in cold weather. I glaze the loaves with beaten egg and use candied fruits and decorate it [the bread] for Christ- mas. Yes, I put cardamom inpulla. Don't get it ground ... I put the seed pods in a cloth and use a stone and hammer to break it up. Lydia Mackie: Mother made all our own bread. She had a big dishpan to make bread. One day she made bread [whole wheat], one day coffee bread [pulla] . When you [make] pulla, you top it with a whole egg and sugar to give it a glaze. You prepare cardamom seed for the bread by putting it in a cloth, warm the seeds first, then pound it with a hammer. It looks like mice got in it if it isn't pounded enough. It doesn't seem like you can make the dough ifyou don't do this.

My kids remember coming in from football games and smelling the coffee bread baking. I still make coffee bread and whole wheat bread. I take liberties now, 1 put apples in it [the pulla] like a strudel. My grandson loves it! EllenHill and William and LauraKoski: Then there's this coffee business! Every time two people get together you have to have coffee. You start the grounds in the morning and add more as the day goes on. Sylvia Knuutila Kent: Coffee, coffee, coffee! That coffee potwasalways perking on the stove! My people didn'tbelieve in coffee for children, so milkwaswhite coffee for us. Richard Koski describes the way some older Finnish people take coffee: You pour it in a saucer and put a cube ofsugar in your teeth. Then you drink the coffee through the sugar.

Pulla Yeast Coffee Bread from The Finnish Cookbook

1 package active dry yeast 1 /2 cup warm water 2 cups milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm 1 cup (or less) sugar 1 teaspoon salt 7-8 whole cardamom pods, seeded and crushed (about 1 teaspoon) 4 eggs, beaten 8-9 cups sifted white flour I /2 cup melted butter

Glaze: 1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup chopped or sliced almonds (optional) 1/2 cup crushed lump sugar (optional)

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Stir in the milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, eggs, and enough flour to make a batter (about 2 cups). Beat until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add about 3 cups of the flour, and beat well; the dough should be quite smooth and glossy in appearance. Add the melted butter, and stir in wcll. Beat again until the dough looks glossy. Stir in the remaining flour until a stiff dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured board, and cover with an inverted mixing bowl. Let the dough rest 15 minutes. Knead until smooth and satiny. Place in a lightly greased mixing bowl, turn the dough to grease the top, cover lightly, and let rise in warm place (about 85 degrees) until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Punch down, and let

rise again until almost doubled (about 30 minutes). Turn out again onto a slightly floured board, divide into 3 parts, then divide each of these parts into 3. Shape each into a strip about 16 inches long by rolling the dough between the palms and the board. Braid the 3 strips together into a straight loaf, pinch the ends together, and tuck under. Repeat for the second and third loaves. Lift the braids onto lightly greased baking sheets. Let rise for about 20 minutes (the braids should be pufft but not doubled in size). Glaze the loaves by brushingwith the beaten egg, and if you wish, sprinkle with the crushed sugar and the almonds. Bake in a hot oven (400 degrees) 25 to 30 minutes. Do not over- bake or the loaves will be too dry. Remove from the oven when a light golden brown. Makes 3 braids. Slice to serve.

Pulls and other Finnish baked goods at the 1997 Fall Finn Fest, Newfield, NY. Photo by Dick Lindblad.

1 997 NYFS Fall Conference MEETING: Photographs

by Deborah Clover. he NYFS Fall Conference took place this year September 5-6 in

SenecaFalls. Entitled "Whose Lore, Whose History," the meeting explored the layers of historical interpretation applied to this

pstate New York city, famous as the site of the first women's rights mvention, by national, state, and local institutions. Below are scenes lustrating some of the highlights of the conference.

"The Finnish Sauna: Folklore and Vernacular Architedure"

The 1997 Middle Atlantic Folklife Assoczation Annual Meeting took place iMay 2-4, und focused on the cuhure of lhe Finns who live i n Nau York StateS Sou thm Finger Lakes regon. Thefollowing are excupts from Amy skill man',^ report on I ~ P meeting which appeared last June on PUBLORE, the Internet listsox for public folklorists. Amy zs Vice Presi- dent ofthe Instilute for Cultural Part- ,nerships and Past President of MAFA. Be sure to tu772 to the Voices section oJ the newslelter to read more from the Finnish community.

Date: June 4, 1997 From: Amy E. Skillman Subject: MAFA

Itwas a great meeting. The planning committee (John Suter, Deb Clover, Ed Franquemont, Catherine Schwoeffermann, Rita Moonsammy, Melissa Ladenheim, Rich Koski, and Peter Voorheis) did an incredible job of getting the Finnish community involved. I think the strength of the meeting was that Deb took it on as a fieldwork project. Since the last meeting in New Jersey, she has been working with the Finnish community to prepare for and plan the meeting in Ithaca. There were a total of 94 people who registered for the two day event, and fewer than half were folklorists. So at every stage, from the reception on Friday evening to the dinner and dance on Saturday night, members of the Finnish community mingled and shared stories with the non-Finn participants.

Richard Koski, a Finnish accor- dion player, played music during the reception on Friday, and his band played dance music for us on Saturday. Jean Alve, a local Finn- ish historian, called the dances. Both events were "catered" by local families offering their special recipes (from hummus to killer brownies), and the Saturday con-

, Ethel Keshner navigates the 3. Ava Zwolinski applauds the anal. homemade pasta.

5. George Ward performs his "Captain Billy and the Whale."

, Conference participants cruise 4. John Suter, Kari Wimbish, Kathy te Erie Canal aboard the Liberty. Condon. Gretchen Sachse, Jim Kimball.

and others at the Knights of Columbus. 6: Italian musician Paul Saltarello, and accordionist John Elise, perform during Saturday night's dinner at the Knights of Columbus.

Jain NYFS Today! Many thanks tl

C,-L:P(-.. 1 K o m h a . - ~ o all of you who have become New Yor'

ovLlr;ry Irrclllvcla for 1997. Your membership provides CI uLuu auCI-

port fc

k Folklore v.. .-:,.I "..- . .

)r the work we do. ue help us meet the NYSCA Challenge! . 1 . . .. .. . . .* The memoersnip contrioution or special girt you maKe now can

work extra hard for us this year. By signing the form on page 11 when you send your check, you will be authorizing us to use your membership or gift as matching funds for the New York State Council on the Arts Challenge Grant of $10,000 which we have been awarded this year. We need to raise three dollars for every dollar in the challenge, and we're nearly three-quarters of the way to our goal. If you are not yet a member, it is not too late to join for this year. You will receive the 1997 issue of New York Folklore when it comes out, you will be

Continued on page 18 Continued on page 18

Bruce Buckley On August 2, Dr. Bruce Buckley, one of

the premier folklorists of New York State, died. In addition to being a scholar, Bruce also recorded folk music and made award- winning educational films. He hosted radio shows about folk culture in his early years at Miami and Indiana Universities and pio- neered one of the first television shows about folk music in the mid 1950s. In 1964, Louis C. Jones invited him to help establish the Cooperstown Graduate Program's American Folk Culture Program. He taught

Bruce Buckley. there for nearly 20 years, training and in- Photograph by Deborah Clover. spiring many students who went on to be-

come accomplished folklorists themselves. After retiring he began a second career as a public folklorist and consulted on numerous important research and public programming projects all over the state. In addition to his family he has left behind scores of sad colleagues, students, and friends.

Bruce strongly supported the New York Folklore Society for many years. He was President from 1968-72 and was elected an HonoraryVice President in 1991. From his decades of collecting and documenting folk culture, Bruce created a huge and meticulously catalogued archival collection. In the months before his death he was working with NYFS's Folk Archives Project to find a permanent home for it. His family continues to assist us in this effort.

The following is from the eulogy given by Langdon Wright at the funeral mass for Bruce at St. Alban's Anglican Church on August 6. Dr. Wright is a professor at the Cooperstown Graduate Programs and a former colleague of Bruce.

Eulogy for Bruce R. Buckley, 28 April1928 - 2 August 1997

by Langdon Wright

"Oh! Another Damn Buckley Project" (When Bruce used thisas the title ofa talk he gave, he omitted the "damn."But

I heard it often enough.) These were words frequently heard at the northern fringes of Cooperstown

from 1964 to 1979 as Bruce sent legions of graduate students, armed with tape recorders and cameras, into communities to conduct non-directed (shotgun) interviews to document craft processes, foodways, family and community festivals, rites of passage, and ethnic traditions.

"Ask the fellow who cuts the hay." "Talk to the people. Let them tell thAr own. stones. " For Bruce, "the folk" and "the common man" were not abstract concepts (nor

masculine ones). He respected people. All people-children and adults; men and women; all origins and beliefs. He valued them and their traditions. He tried to see the world through the people's eyes-and trained others to do so as well.

" We prepared people lo be open-minded to new ideas . . . " He was not always successful. I remember that his effort to convince an

audience at the Winterthur Museum-a temple to high fashion-that plastic pink flamingos are elements of folk culture and should be taken seriously, were met with some resistance.

But he opened many minds, taught many how to see. This was never study for the sake ofstudy; not for scholars alone. He insisted on giving the knowledge back to the community, through radio, TV, films, records, museum exhibitions, and programs.

He wanted to show how the past and present are connected. How the past can serve the present and guide us in the future. How we can bring about change.

Continued next column

16

And how to do it with respect for people and tradition. How to do it ethi- cally and responsibly.

Another Damn Buckley Projct 1 was a Buckley project. In 1974, the

Director of NYSHA [New York State His- torical Association] hired me to teach in CGP [Cooperstown Graduate Programs]. He didn't consult with Bruce, then the Associate Dean of the program in which I was to teach. In December, that Direc- tor was fired. I felt my position precari- ous. Rut if Bruce felt any ill will toward me because of the manner of my appoint- ment, he never let it show. Instead, I became his project. I never sat in his classes, but in dozens of informal conver- sations, he taught me the difference between shotgun, saddlebag, and dogtrot houses and why it mattered; about the emic approach; about open-mindedness.

Another Buckley Project Bruce's personal project is finished

and graded. But it is not the last Buckley project by far. As long as we Buckley projects-the people he touched-live; as long as the people we touch live, we will, I hope, carry on the Buckley project.

GOINGS Continued from page 2

Builders Creative Arts in the Bronx (see her article in this issue); NClida PQez, head of the library and archives at the Centro de Estudios Puertorriquerios at Hunter College in New York City; and SallyYerkovich, afolklorist, museum consultant, and the new director of the New Jersey Historical Society. I am delighted to welcome five such outstanding individuals and friends of the New York Folk- lore Society to our board of directors.

-John S u t u

ARCHIVES GRANT Continued from page 3

tion-level descriptions so that each collection can ultimately be made accessible on an on-line database and the World Wide Web. The collection holders include the Madison County Historical Society, North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame, photog- rapher Martha Cooper, Bruce Buckley, Vaughn and George Ward, Delaware County Historical Association,Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, City Lore, Eth- nic Folk Arts Center, and Hallockville Folklife Center and Museum Farm.

The Newsletter ruelcomes conlribulions lo this column from its readmhifi. Phase submit a paragraph of about 100 words describingy our cuwent folklore-related activities. We willprint as many as we have roomjor on ajrst come Jrst served basis. Some items may have to be edited, depending on availabb sface.

Jean Crandall is currently the consult- ing folklorist at the Dutchess County Arts Council and the Historical Society of Rockland County. In Rockland County, she coordinates the annual folklife festival. In Dutchess, Crandall continues the work that Ellen McHale began on a series of programs, "Giving It Back: Folk Arts of Dutchess County." This year's offerings will include Indian wedding traditions and a festival program featuring Irish, African, gospel, and Latin music. A particular focus of this year's fieldwork are the diverse and growing Latino populations of Dutchess County.

Nancy Piatkowski is in the process of entering 5000 research papers on all aspects of folk culture into a database for the Niagara Frontier Folklore Ar- chives. The paperswere written over the past 30 years by the students of Buffalo State University Professor Lydia Fish. Nancy and Lydia hope ultimately to add the database to the Buffalo State library computer system as a Procite search- only program.

Traditional Arts in Upstate NewYork, under the directorship of folklorist Varick Chittenden opened its exhibition. From Marshes to Mantels, at the Remington Museum in Ogdensburg on October 3. The exhibition traces the changing aesthetics and function of de- coys in the North Country over time. TAUNYis also working on a radio series for North Country Public Radio (89.5 in Canton), called Meet the Masters. The series, which consists of 24, five minute- long programs featuring recipients of the North Country Heritage Awards, begins airing next spring. This fall and winter, starting in November, the TAUNY Gallery in Canton hosts eight, two-day artist-in-residencies including Mae Bigtree, Mohawk basket maker; Tom Phillips, rustic furniture maker; Jim Garnsey, Clayton decoy carver; Joanne Zenger, quilter; Jane Desotelle, balsam wreath maker; Floyd Bissonette, wood carver; Roger Perkins, Mohawk potter; and Marilyn Brander, rug hooker.

In addition to these activities TAUNY continues its ongoing St. Lawrence River research project and is writing a cookbook featuring recipes from and essays on a number of Adirondack communities.

Bruce R. Buckley Ledreship at CGP The Cooperstown Graduate Program

announces the establishment of an annual Bruce R. Buckley Lectureship. This lectureship will bring a scholar to Cooperstown each year to present a professional seminar on some aspect of American folk culture. It is a fitting tribute to a man who devoted so much of his life and energy to the Cooperstown Graduate Program. They plan to raise $10,000 in the next year to endow the lectureship. Those who wish to contrib Ute to the Lectureship maysendacheck to the Cooperstown Graduate Program, P.O. Box 800, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Multi-year pledgei for larger amounts are welcome.

Long Island Traditions' Mounts "Sandy Shores" "Sandy Shores," an outdoor permanent exhibit about the building of the Wantagh Parkway and Jones Beach and the south shores maritime culture, has been mounted along the Jones Reach bicycle path adjacent to the Wantagh Parkway. The three-panel interpretive exhibit focuses on the occupational experiences of workers who built the region's landmarks envisioned by Rob- ert Moses, the "master bui1der"for many Long Island State Parks and Parkways. It is based on the memories of current and retired workers. "Sandy Shores" was curated by Long Island Traditions under the auspices of director Nancy Solomon.

Research Fellowships The Smithsonian Institution announces its research fellowshipsfor 1998. Under this program, senior, predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships of three to twelve months, and graduate student fellowships of ten weeks are awarded. Postmark deadline: January 15, 1998.

Minority Internships Internships are available for students

to participate in research and museum- related activitiesfor periods of ten weeks during the summer, fall, and spring. U.S. minority undergraduate and beginning graduate students are invited to apply. Postmark deadline: February 15.

For more information, please write: Smithsonian Institution, Office of Fel- lowships and Grants, 955 L'Enfant Plaza, Suite 7000, MRC 902, Washington, D.C. 20560, or e-mail: [email protected]. For Research Fellowships please indicate the particular area in which you propose to conduct research and give the dates of degrees received or expected.

Because God Loves Stm'es: An Anthology of Jewish Storytelling

Steve Zeitlin, ed. Simon & Schuster New York, NY 304 pages, $13.00 paper

Why were human beings created?" goes a traditional Jewish saying. "Because God loves stories." Storytelling has been part ofJewish religion and custom from earliest times, and it remains a defining aspect of Jewish life. In this book, folklorist Steve Zeitlin assembles the work of 36 Jewish storytellers, each of whom spins tales that express his or her own distinctive visions of Jewish culture. Contemporary storytellers re-interpret stories from the Talmud for modern sensibilities, the Grand Rabbi of Bluzhov tells tales of the Holocaust, comedian Sam Levenson regales readers with hi- larious vignettes of Jewish life in America, and much more.

Along the Erie Canal

A Film by Pacho Lane Ethnoscope P.O. Box 92353Rochester, NY 14692 37 minutes, VHS

Tom Grasso, President of the NY State Canal Society, takesviewers on a tour of the Erie and Barge Canals, past and present. Accompanied by the music of George Ward and Peter Spier's draw- ings of life on the Canal, Tom explores the beauty and history of this great arti- ficial river.

17

MENTOR APPLlCATlONS Continued horn page 3

consultancies, men torships, and professional development exchanges. The program is flexible and respon- sive to individual needs. Guidelines and application forms are now available. Contact John Suter or Deb Clo- ver at NYFS, P.O. Box 130, Newfield, NY 14867; (607) 273-9137; [email protected].

MAFA Continued from page 15

ference sessions were enhanced by Finnish pulh-a sweet egg bread similar to challa, laced with real chunks of cardamon. Aphotographic exhibit on Finnish saunaswas on display throughout the weekend.

There were two great sessions on Saturday morning. One presented different perspectives on "The Built En- vironment: Folklore and Vernacular Architecture." It included [local historian] Gretchen Sachse's discussion of archival resources in the county, [folklorist]Virginia Scheer's account- ing of the restoration of a local round barn, and [carpenter] Richard Lazarus' stories about his work with old barns and his insights about the social lives of the people who used them.

The other session focused on "Per- spectives on Finnish Culture and His- tory," (especially in central New York State), from Peter Voorheis' synopsis of Finnish folklore and settlement patterns to Richard Koski's stories of growing up in central New York. Me- lissa Ladenheim offered a portrait of the use and appearance o f saunas among Finns in New York, and [local historian] Jean Alve talked about life in the Finnish communityin Spencer.

Both sessions were very compelling and gave an array of perspectives from local folks to scholars. They provided a wonderful backdroo for the afternoon tour through the Finnish landscape.

Three vans took about 45 people on the tour of Finnish saunas in the beautiful countryside. We visited several predominantly Finnish towns, the North Van Etten church where we heard about one woman'sexperiences growing up Finnish, a number of saunas, and other vernacular sites. I was

18

lucky enough to be in the van with Jean Alve who was full of information about the people and towns we visited.

We finished (no pun intended) the evening at the Newfield Fire Hall, dancing waltzes, schottisches, polkas, and other dances known to the Finns. The community came out in full force, bringing food and telling stories in the large community room which had been transformed by blue and white decorations into a truly Finnish space. MAFA honored five individuals From the community who are intensely involved in conserving their Finnish traditions, with certificates of appreciation and one-year memberships in MAFA.

Finally during the business meeting on Saturday, Rita Moonsammy was elected President, John Suter Vice President, John Eilertsen Treasurer, Marilyn White Secretary, and Catherine Kerst and Yvonne Milspaw as board members. All took office July 1, 1997.

The next meeting will be held at Augusta Heritage Center on the cam- pus of Davis and Elkins College in Elkins, West Virginia. The Finns will be a hard act to follow, but I think Augusta can do it. More details as they become available.

Ed, note: Deb Clover reports that the MAFA conference had a catalytic impact on the Finnish community. ~ u r i n i the planning process, many Finns mentioned to her their fears that Finnish culture was dyingout. NOW, a newgeneration ofFinns has stepped forward to organize events. Since May a series of Finnish music con- certs organized by Richard Koski, a

~ u h a n n u s ~ e s t celebration complete with a floatingbon.re, agrange hall dance which included a schottische and polka work- shob, and the annual Fall Finn Fest have

1 .

drawn large and enthusiastic audiences. The Finger Lahs Finns, a 3Oyear old ethnic club, has reorganized, elected a new board of directors, and is busy planning a number offwograms~or theupcomingyear. And the grouj) was recently awarded a NITS Mentoring Grant to consult with leaders of other established Finnish-Ammi- can organizations.

JOlN NYFS Continued from page 15

eligible for member discounts on our publications and conferences, and you will have the satisfaction of helping the New York Folklore Society carry out its important services in folklore and folk arts. If you are already a member, this is a good time to renew for 1998.

A special gift to the Society, beyond your membership, would be deeply a p preciated now to help us reach our Challenge Grant goal of $30,000.

So please use the form on page 11 and invest in the work of the New York Folklore Society today.

Thank you!

1997 Individual Members: Pauline Adema, Nobumichi Akiyama, Sally Banes, Laurie Baratta, Robert Baron, Raymond A Baumler, Daniel Berggren, Robert D Rethke, Emily Botein, Julia Boyer-Reinstein, Terry Breitenbach, Simon J Bronner, Joseph Bruchac, Jan Harold Brunvand, Bruce R Buckley, Ellen C Butz, Moyra Byrne, Helen L Cackener, Olivia Cadaval, Karen Park Canning, Walter N Chimel, Lise M Ciavaglia, William M Clements, Les Cleveland, Deborah Clover, Kathleen Condon, James Corsaro, Debi Craig, Jean Crandall, Frederick E Danker, Cara De Silva, David Deacon, Todd DeGarmo, Judith Drabkin, John Eilertsen, Lynn Case Ekfelt, Dolores N Elliott, Robert A. Emery, Elsie Freeman Finch, Albert Fowler, Ed Franquemont, Joselle A. Gagliano, Sean Galvin, Lorraine Gewirtz, Charles Githler, Pamela S Goddard, Robert Godfried, Ann F Green, Sylvia Grider, Nancy Groce, Susanne A Haffner, Herbert Halpert, Lee Haring, Martin Hatch, Allen Hendrickson, Gerry Hinson, Joyce A Ice, Lou Ismay, Kenda C. James, Sylvia Conzett Jung, Ethel Keshner, Jim Kimball, Karen Kobela, Lisa Kochik, Sharon D. Koota, Norma Koperski, Robert Krebs, Judy Kugelmass, Melissa Ladenheim, James E Lawrence, Michael D. Leach, Jack Leadley Sr, James P. Leary, Lael Leslie, Yvonne Lockwood, Alison Lurie, Lucia McCreery, Justine McGovern, Ellen McHale, Felicia Faye McMahon, William K McNeil, Phyllis S. McNeill, Isa-Kae Meksin, Yvonne J Milspaw, Edwin H Mizer, Scott Douglas Morrow, Barbara Mueller,

Wilhelm F.H. Nicolaisen, Sheila Orlin, Valerie Pawlewicz, Mary Kay Penn, Nancy M Piatkowski, Dr. Preston E Pierce, Gerald Pocius,Leonard Norman Primiano, David P Quinn, Stanley A Ransom, Allen Walker Read, Robert M Rennick, Gretchen Sachse, Maurie Sacks, Suzanne Samelson, Mary C Savage, Virginia Scheer, Joseph Sciorra, Anthony Seeger, Mary Michael Shelley, Eleanor Shodell, Jack Shortlidge, Amy Skillman, Susan Slyomovics, Charles J Smith, Nancy Solomon, Carole Spencer, Shalom Staub, Sharon Steinberg, Ellen J Stekert, Phillips Stevens Jr, Frederick J Stielow, John Suter, Richard Sweterlitsch, Karen Taussig-Lux, Agnes N Underwood, Kathleen Urbanic, Peter Voorheis, Susan S Wadley, Marc S Waggener, Daniel Franklin Ward, Will Whiteley, Phil Whitney, Ristiina Wigg, Sally Yerkovich, Mary Zwolinski.

1997 Member 0rganiaEion.s: Adirondack Museum, Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations, City Lore, Crandall Public Library, Geneva Historical Society, Museum of International Folk Art, Port Washington Public Library, Roberson Museum and Science Center, Strong Museum, Tradi- tional Arts of Upstate New York, Union College, Wyoming Central School (Not listed above are 170 libraries, colleges and universities, and other institutional members that subscribe to New Ymh Folklore.)

NYFS PUBLlCATlONS Use the form at right to order any of these publications. For a complete list of NYFS publications, please contact our office.

Working with Folk Materials in New Yorlt State: A Manualfor Folklorists and Archivists, edited by John Suter

Folk Arts Programming in New York State:A Mamaland Resource Guide, by Karen Lux

N m Yorh Folklore Quarterly (1946- 1974) and New York Folklore (1975 to present) Complete sets of available back issues at special discount prices.

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Return to: NewYork Folklore Society, PO Box 130, Newf~cld, NY 14867 (607) 273-9137

r NEW! Voices featuring The Finns of the Southern Finger Lakes, The Whale on the Canal, Paramentary, The Loup - Garou, and more.

r Mahada Kinsey-Lamb on Mind Builders Community Folk Arts Program

r Steve Zeitlin on Coney Island Development

Join N l E S Today! Help us meet the NYSCA Challenge.

lsee page 15)

Mind-Builders Folklore Intern Amalia Gonzalez on field trip to Bronx stable. See Stories on pages 4 and 10.

The New York Folklore Society's programs are made possible in part with public fun& from the New Ymk State Council on the Arts, a state agency. The Annual Fall Confermce and the Menton'ng Program are supported in part hy a grantfiom the NationalEndmentfmtheArts. TheEolk Archives Project is mndepossibleby grants from the New Ymk State Documentary Heritage Program and the National Histmoncal Publieations and Reconls Commission. All M S activities are ma& possible in part by the generosity of our members and coniributors.

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Documents

FROM THE DIRECTOR - New York Folklore Society · FROM THE DIRECTOR VOICES: A New Medium ofExchange ith this special double issue, the New York Folklore Society launches a new section