Michigan
odd: label: Introduction
content: From the State of Michigan, ninety of its residents came to the 1987 Festival to speak about and demonstrate some of the rich traditional culture from that region. To help create a festival setting in which performers of valued traditions could speak about their experiences and heritages with performed music, active demonstrations, and spoken words seemed a most appropriate way to celebrate the sesquicentennial of that geographically endowed, historically important and culturally rich state.

Throughout Michigan's history those who migrated to the state have been drawn by - or have themselves introduced - fishing, trapping, mining, lumbering, farming, and automobile manufacturing. The lore of such occupations, combined with the rich ethnic heritage of those who built Michigan, form the essence of the state's traditional culture. Michigan today is home to more than one hundred different nationalities, including the country's largest population of Finns, Belgians, Maltese, and Chaldeans; the second largest numbers of Dutch, Lebanese, and French Canadians; and perhaps the largest concentration of Muslim Arabs (in southeast Dearborn) outside the Middle East. Detroit alone is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the country. The heritage of these diverse groups - along with those of Native, Euro Americans, and Afro Americans who migrated to Michigan throughout the state's history - give Michigan folklife its distinctive characteristics.

Complementing a full performance schedule that highlighted Michigan's diverse musical heritage, ongoing demonstrations included lure making, fly tying, boat building, Native American quillwork, black ash basketry, finger weaving and beadwork, Dutch wooden shoe making, furniture carving, Afro American quilt making, Palestinian needlework, Ukrainian textiles and egg decorating, ski and sleigh making, decoy carving, rag rug weaving, cherry harvesting & pruning, evergreen nursery techniques, net making, and ice fishing.

Betty Belanus, Laurie Sommers, and Thomas Vennum, Jr. served as Curators for the Michigan program, with Laurie Sommers also serving as Program Coordinator and Barbara Lau, as Assistant Program Coordinator.

The Michigan Program was made possible by the Michigan Sesquicentennial Commission and the Michigan Department of State.
label: Fieldworkers and consultants
content: Fieldworkers

Dennis Au, Michael Bell, Horace Boyer, John Alan Cicala, Timothy Cochrane, Gregory Cooper, C. Kurt Dewhurst, Stev'e Frangos, Roland Freeman, Janet Gilmore, Alicia María González, James Leary, Yvonne Lockwood, Marsha MacDowell, Phyllis M. May-Machunda, Mario Montaño, Earl Nyholm, Marsha Penti, Roger Pilon, Peter Seitel, Eliot Singer, Laurie Sommers, Nicholas R. Spitzer, Thomas Vennum, Jr.

Consultants

George Cornell, LuAnne Kozma, Robert McCarl, Oscar Paskal, Barry Lee Pearson, Joseph Spielberg
label: Presenters
content: Dennis Au, Horace Boyer, C. Kurt Dewhurst, Paul Gifford, Janet Gilmore, James Leary, William Lockwood, Yvonne Lockwood, Marsha MacDowell, Earl Nyholm, Mario Montaño, Roger Pilon, Joseph Spielberg, Nicholas R. Spitzer, Benjamin Wilson
label: Participants
content: Crafts

Samiha Abusalah, Palestinian needle worker, Dearborn, Michigan

James Baker, wooden shoe maker, Holland, Michigan

Catherine Baldwin, 1935-2001, Ottawa quill worker, Suttons Bay, Michigan

Amnah Baraka, Palestinian needle worker, Dearborn, Michigan

Chou Chang, Hmong textile artist, Detroit, Michigan

Rita L. Corbiere, Ojibwa quill worker, storyteller, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Alice Fox, 1916-1995, Ojibwa quill worker, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Russell Johnson, 1918-, blacksmith, Strongs, Michigan

Arnold Klein, Jr., Ukrainian embroiderer, egg decorator, Hamtramck, Michigan

George McGeshick, Ojibwa birch bark canoe builder, Iron River, Michigan

Mary McGeshick, Ojibwa cradle board decorator, Iron River, Michigan

Yer Yang Mua, Hmong textile artist, Detroit, Michigan

Julia Nyholm, 1913-2005, Ojibwa finger weaver, bead worker, Crystal Falls, Michigan

Gust Pietilla, 1906-1999, ski, sleigh and tool maker, Bruce Crossing, Michigan

Agnes Rapp, 1920-2003, Ottawa-Potawatomi black ash basket maker, Berrien Springs, Michigan

Glen Van Antwerp, cedar fan carver, Lansing, Michigan

Lloyd Van Doornik, mas¬ter carver, furniture maker, Holland, Michigan

Julia Wesaw, 1908-1992, Potawatomi black ash basket maker, Hartford, Michigan

Rosie Wilkins, 1905-1994, quilt maker, Muskegon, Michigan

Foodways

Helen Mohammed Atwell, 1934-2003, Lebanese cook, Dearborn, Michigan

Marguerite L. Berry-Jackson, storyteller, cook, herbalist, Lansing, Michigan

Lucille Brown, 1917-1996, pasty maker, Wakefield, Michigan

Marie L. Cross, storyteller, cook, herbalist, Mecosta, Michigan

Eustacio Y. Flores, Jr., Mexican-American cook, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Anna E. Lassila, 1909-2001, pasty maker, rag rug weaver, Mohawk, Michigan

Elda Peltier, 1915-2005, muskrat cook, Monroe, Michigan

Hudson "Huddy" Peltier, 1912-2003, muskrat cook, Monroe, Michigan

Music

The Hammon Family, bluegrass, country, gospel music  -- The Hammon Family, bluegrass, country, gospel musicGeorge "Dub" Hammon, bass player, vocalist¬, Davison, MichiganMarge Hammon, mandolin player, vocalist, Davison, MichiganMel Hammon, fiddle player, vocalist, Davison, MichiganRon Hammon, guitar player, vocalist, Davison, Michigan

Judy & Her Suchey Brothers, polka band  -- Judy & Her Suchey Brothers, polka bandMike Kindt, bass player, Alpena, MichiganBill Suchey, Jr., trumpet player, Alpena, MichiganBob Suchey, saxophone player, Alpena, MichiganJim Suchey, accordion player, Alpena, MichiganJudy Suchey, drummer, Alpena, MichiganMike Suchey, trumpet player, Alpena, Michigan

Rev. Andre Woods & The Chosen, gospel music  -- Rev. Andre Woods & The Chosen, gospel musicSederia Butler, soprano, Detroit, MichiganDawn Byers, alto, Detroit, MichiganStephanie Colfield, drummer, Westland, MichiganEarl Fisher, tenor, Detroit, MichiganCraig Harris, bass guitar player, Cleveland, Ohio, MichiganGrenee Hunter, alto, Detroit, MichiganWillie Lucas, tenor, Detroit, MichiganRenee Thomas, soprano, Detroit, MichiganDana Wilcox, soprano, Detroit, MichiganRev. Andre Woods, arranger, director, Detroit, Michigan

Sensational Gospel Tones  -- Sensational Gospel TonesAlfred Charleston, Grand Rapids, MichiganDonald Charleston, lead guitar and bass player, Grand Rapids, MichiganJuanita Charleston, Grand Rapids, MichiganRev. Leon Charleston, Grand Rapids, MichiganHenrietta Fields, Grand Rapids, MichiganTanya Johnson, vocalist, drummer, Grand Rapids, MichiganNathaniel Smith, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Sugar Island Boys, Anglo-French string band  -- Sugar Island Boys, Anglo-French string bandRené Coté, fiddle player, Ontario, CanadaHoney McCoy, 1904-1988, piano player, vocalist, Sault Ste. Marie, MichiganJoe Menard, 1935-, guitar player, vocalist, Sault Ste. Marie, MichiganTom Stevens, Dobro player, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Bill Stimac & Sons, music from the Keweenaw Peninsula  -- Bill Stimac & Sons, music from the Keweenaw PeninsulaBill Stimac, 1923-, accordion player, Houghton, MichiganMark Stimac, 1956-, banjo and guitar player, Houghton, MichiganRandy Stimac, 1958-, accordion player, Houghton, Michigan

Thimbleberry, Finnish music  -- Thimbleberry, Finnish musicEd Lauluma, 1921-2005, fiddle player, Chassell, MichiganAl Reko, 1933-, accordion player, vocalist, St. Paul, Minnesota, MichiganOren Tikkanen, mandolin and guitar player, Calumet, Michigan

Tomicic Brothers Orchestra, tamburitza music  -- Tomicic Brothers Orchestra, tamburitza musicMike Cani, cello player, Detroit, MichiganJoel Novosel, bass player, Detroit, MichiganGeorge Patrash, pugaria player, Detroit, MichiganMike Tomicić, first brac player, Windsor, Ontario, CanadaPeter Tomicić, second brac player, Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Yemeni Folkloric Dance Group, Arab village music  -- Yemeni Folkloric Dance Group, Arab village musicSaleh Alward, dancer, Dearborn, MichiganMohsin Elgabri, dramatist, dancer, Oud player, Dearborn, MichiganAlsanabani Faris, dancer, Dearborn, MichiganSaeed Masjahri, dancer, Dearborn, MichiganM. Aideroos Mohsen, dancer, Dearborn, MichiganAbdo Ali Saeed, dancer, Dearborn, MichiganOmar A. Wahashi, oud and tabla player, Dearborn, Michigan

Rose Mae Menard, 1901-1988, come¬dienne, storyteller, herbalist, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Art Moilanen, 1916-1995, vocalist, accordion player, Mass City, Michigan

Les Raber, fiddle player, Hastings, Michigan

Isaiah "Dr." Ross, 1925-1993, blues musician, Flint, Michigan

Occupations

Esperanza Alcala, ever¬green nursery worker, Grand Haven, Michigan

Steven B. Fouch, 1952-, cherry grower, extension agent, Grawn, Michigan

Elias Lopez, 1935-2004, evergreen nursery worker, Grand Haven, Michigan

Damien Lunning, trapper, Mio, Michigan

Judith Lunning, trapper, game cook, Mio, Michigan

Pedro Rodriguez, ever¬green nursery worker, Grand Haven, Michigan

Personal Experience Narrative, Flint Sit-Down Strike

Fred Ahearn, 1910-1991, Flint, Michigan

Burt Christenson, Flint, Michigan

Shirley Foster, Flint, Michigan

Berdene "Bud" Simons, Newport Richey, Florida

Nellie Simons, Newport Richey, Florida

Waterways

Josephine F. Sedlecky-Borsum, sports shop owner, fly tier, Baldwin, Michigan

Ray Davison, Great Lakes fisherman, Menominee, Michigan

Dick Grabowski, 1931-2006, Great Lakes fisherman, Menominee, Michigan

Charlie Nylund, 1933-, Great Lakes fisherman, Menominee, Michigan

Jay Stephan, river guide, boat builder, Grayling, Michigan

Elman G. "Bud" Stewart, 1913-1999, lure maker, Alpena, Michigan

Jim Wicks, ice fisherman, decoy carver, McMillan, Michigan

Ralph Wilcox, Great Lakes fisherman, fish smoker, Brimley, Michigan

David Wyss, river guide, boat builder, fly tier, Grayling, Michigan
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1987 Festival of American Folklife
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1987, Series 4
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials