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Material World
The enormous 240-gallon clay vessel, or karas, was nestled snugly in the corner of Asli Saghatelyan’s maran (storage cellar) in Chiva, a modest village in the Vayots Dzor region of Armenia.
In Kütahya, a western Turkish city known for its ceramic ware or çini, tiles and plates feature a variety of design motifs, both classical and contemporary.
These two hand-formed coffee pots, known as dallah (دلة), were gifts from the Omani government during the 2005 Folklife Festival program on Oman.
At the age of four, I first became cognizant of the date. No, not the date wherein two people meet to get to know each other, but rather the fruit.
For as long as they have lived in the country’s highlands, Armenians have harvested the indigenous edible green plants, transforming them into cherished dishes.
Using the power of their video camera and insightful questions, last year two budding folklorists helped save an ancient craft tradition in India.
Phi Ta Khon, or Ghost Festival, is a three-day Buddhist holiday that takes place in different parts of Thailand every year between late May and early July.
Armenia holds a remarkable depth and diversity of cultural and natural landscapes, all within an area approximately the size of the state of Maryland.
A great way to educate children about the environment is focusing on a parts of the earth that are endangered.
Light filters in from an open window over mounds of dough resting in Rima Timbaryan’s kitchen. Kindling crackles as it turns to ash in the tonir, and the sounds of women singing drift into the room.
Folklife Magazine explores how culture shapes our lives. We publish stories about music, food, craft, language, celebrations, activism, and the individuals and communities who sustain these traditions.