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Cultural Transmission
Mamoni Chitrakar started singing. I held my breath. We were watching the unveiling of a traditional painted scroll called patachitra, months in the making.
After I read a bit on “gun culture,” I realized it plays a major role in my life.
My childhood gave me certain abilities: I was good at relaxing my mind, I knew how to be my own companion when I felt lonely.
An expert in both the tradition and the history, Norman Kennedy received an NEA National Heritage Fellowship for his mastery of Scottish weaving, singing, and storytelling.
Sprang has been practiced and revived across Europe, North and South America, some parts of the Middle East, and Asia.
You would never know from his bashful laugh, but Shide Nyima is one of the most recognizable faces on Tibetan television.
Using the power of their video camera and insightful questions, last year two budding folklorists helped save an ancient craft tradition in India.
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.