Old Ways in the New World
odd: label: Introduction
content: In the 1970s, more than 90 percent of all Americans recognized themselves as heirs to cultural traditions brought to this country from other parts of the world. The 1975 Old Ways program featured six of the many ethnic groups that have enriched the American mosaic of culture. In the Bicentennial celebration in 1976, more than 30 were expected to participate.

The central theme of the 1975 presentations was celebration. Individuals and groups who serve their communities through singing, dancing, playing music, telling stories, or preparing food for these gatherings were brought to the Festival from ethnic communities in the United States and from their parent nations overseas. The 1975 presentations featured German and Lebanese traditions (June 25-29), and Japanese, Mexican, and Italian traditions (July 2-6).

The German presentation focused on the music, dance and foodways associated with weddings - a celebration that involves whole communities in customs that have been practiced for hundreds of years. German American musicians played traditional wedding music on a combination of instruments: a hammered dulcimer, accordion, trombone, and bass guitar. Other wedding music was performed by a German American brass band from Wisconsin and another from Texas. From Schleswig-Holstein a six-piece band performed wedding dance music, and Bavarian wedding music was played by three musicians from Munich. A brass band and dancers from Baden-Wurtemburg performed wedding music from their region, and wedding foods were demonstrated.

The Lebanese program reflected the diversity of traditional music and dance, urban and village, sacred and secular. An urban cabaret orchestra from Beirut was joined by another from the United States. Each day's activities portrayed a haflah, or Lebanese party with music, song, food, and dance. Dancers from Marjayoun and Mtein, Lebanon, and Springfield, Massachusetts taught Festival visitors the dabke and other village group dances, and the sacred dimension of Lebanese music was shown by vocalists singing choral songs sacred to Lebanese Christians.

A Natsu Matsuri, or summer festival, provided the frame within which Japanese music, dance, crafts and foods were presented. Japanese Americans from communities in Seabrook, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., together with folk artists from Tokyo and Mihara, a small seacoast city in Hiroshima Prefecture, created festive celebrations daily, culminating in a major Bon Odori in the Plaza on July 5. Crafts related to festivities such as flower arranging and origami were demonstrated, as were calligraphy, kimono-making, cushion-making and kite-making.

In the Italian area, Italian Americans from neighborhoods in the New York metropolitan area joined counterpart participants from Italy in activities traditionally associated with saint's day celebrations, scampagnate, carnivale and other special occasions. Music was of special importance in these presentations, as it has been in the immigration experience. Visitors also heard the cries of street vendors and the sounds of tambourines, bagpipes, scrapers and accordions, instruments native to many regions of Italy. They enjoyed a Sicilian American marionette show and watched and played Italian games.

Mexicans and Mexican Americans shared the stage the second week of the Festival in a program that attempted to trace the roots of those music traditions most popular among Mexican Americans in the United States. Visitors could compare the styles of the mariachi music that now thrives in Mexico and in the United States. The norteño style, a lively, rustic sound that flourished in Texas and spread through parts of the Southwest, was performed by Mexican American musicians and dancers. An ensemble of five performers from southern Veracruz played the harp-dominated jarocho music and executed the complex footwork of the dances.

Program Coordinator for the Old Ways in the New World was Shirley Cherkasky, assisted by Sandra Tussing and Suzanne Cox. Thomas Vennum was ethnomusicologist. An advisory group included Conrad Arensberg, Svatava Pirkova Jakobson, Alan Lomax, and David McAIIester.

The 1975 program was made possible by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration, Government of Germany, Government of Japan, Japan Foundation, Government of Lebanon, and Government of Mexico.
label: Fieldworkers
content: Anna Lomax, Anthony Shay, Miiko Toelken, Roger Welsch, Ernestine Perrie, Elizabeth Mathias, Ronald Smith, Philip Sonnichsen
label: Participants
content: German

Gretel Gross Trio:

Hans Eibl, 1941-, zither player

Margarete Gross, 1932-, hackbrett player

Gottfried Keck, 1929-, guitar player

Die Holsteiner  -- Die HolsteinerGregor Otto, 1928-, leaderKarl-Heinz Kler, 1937-, musicianHans-Joachim Knoof, 1957-, musicianRüdiger König, 1943-, musicianWalter Siwek, 1919-, musicianPaul Gottfried Zulauf, 1943-, musician

Langenschiltach Blaskapelle  -- Langenschiltach BlaskapelleG. F. Weber-Benzing, band leaderGudrun Epting, 1957-, dancerHans Epting, dancerMargot Epting, 1956-, dancerWalter Epting, 1933-, dancerMathias Hildbrandt, 1933-, bass tuba playerMathias Kieninger, 1909-, horn playerAndreas Muller, 1948-, dancerBernd Muller, 1958-, dancerDoris Muller, 1956-, dancerAlfred Weisser, 1930-, tenor horn playerGerd Weisser, 1943-, clarinet playerWalter Weisser, 1935-, trumpet playerMrs. Waltraud Weisser, 1957-, dancer

Konrad Kostin, folklorist

Ulrich Tolksdorf, 1938-, folklorist

German American

Alte Kameraden Band, Freistadt, Wisconsin  -- Alte Kameraden Band, Freistadt, WisconsinDavid Baumann, baritone, trumpet playerDonald Boehlke, drummerNorman Boehlke, trombone playerRoland Braun, 1924-, clarinet, zither playerMervin Browne, clarinet playerKarl Ebenhoch, dancerElroy Ernst, trombone playerFranklin Evens, drummerEarl Hilgendorf, 1934-, baritone, trumpet, fluegelhorn playerFranklin Klug, bass tuba playerDavid Balsiger, trumpet playerHarold Pipkorn, 1927-, baritone hornLouis W. Rittschof, 1935-1996, clarinet playerHarold Schoessow, 1907-1992, trombone playerElmer Schreiber, 1925-1998, trombone player, singerDonald Silldorff, trumpet playerWilmer Wetzel, trumpet player

Pehl's Oompah Band, Fredericksburg Texas  -- Pehl's Oompah Band, Fredericksburg TexasHenry Frantzen, 1907-1994, saxophone playerR.L. Frantzen, trumpet playerAnthony Hartmann, 1915-2001, drummerSidney Henke, 1913-1984, saxophone playerHugo Klaerner, 1908-1982, alto horn playerArthur Klein, 1906-1990, accordion playerAlbert Meier, 1914-1992, bass horn playerFelix Pehl, 1895-1982, trumpet player

Bob Schmer's Polka Play Boys  -- Bob Schmer's Polka Play BoysAlbert Fahlbusch, 1925-2005, hammered dulcimer playerRoger Fahlbusch, 1958-, bass guitar playerAndrew M. Gentry, trombone playerRobert H. Schmer, accordion player

Lebanese American

Antoinette Arida, 1951-1997, dancer

Radie Bonemery, dancer

Edward Denny, 1910-1984, dancer

Ali Elhage, 1943-2001, dancer

Ethyl Anna Habib, dancer

Joseph George Habib, dancer

Baha lssa, dancer

Hugo Klaerner

Edmond Lahage, 1936-, dancer

S. Kweilin Nassar (Ms.), dancer

Laurice Peters, singer

Jihad Racy, 1943-, oud,  -- buzuk -- , nay & rebab player

Ray Rashid,  -- darbukkah --  player

Louis Shelby, 1925-2001, violinist

James Soffan, dancer

Khazma Soffan, dancer

Mr. & Mrs. Mohammed Soffan, dancers

Samira Hadad Tamer, dancer

Ahmad Zebian, dancer

Samir Zebian, dancer

Nazih Zebian, dancer

Japanese American

Minyo Dance Group  -- Minyo Dance GroupSusan Matsumoto Brown, minyo dancerDonna Endo, minyo dancerDoris Endo, minyo dancerToshiko Hieshima, minyo dancerElaine Ichikawa, minyo dancerMichi Ichikawa, minyo dancerGrace Kono, 1920-2003, minyo dancerKiyo Kunisada, 1918-2004, minyo dancerSharon Miyata, minyo dancerViolet Mizuki, minyo dancerShizuko Ogawa, minyo dancerPhyllis Taketa, minyo dancer

Tachibana Dance Group  -- Tachibana Dance GroupSahomi Tachibana, minzoku-buyo dancerToyo Kikuchi, minzoku-buyo dancerEllen Kubo, minzoku-buyo dancerTaeko Okada, minzoku-buyo dancer

Fusako Akahoshi (Ms.), 1906-, zabuton maker

Shingetsu Akahoshi, 1906-2007, calligraphy demonstrator

lddy Asada, mochi-tsuki demonstrator and organizer

Kimie Bond, koto player

Tamae Brockman, koto player

Takeno Dodohara, zabuton maker

Sarah Setsuko Hecht, koto player

Katsuko Lee, ikebana demonstrator

Kyomi Nakamura, mochi-tsuki demonstrator & organizer

Noriko Nakamura,  -- cha no yu --  performer

Mitsuko Nakashita, clothing customs demonstrator

Midori Nataka, zabuton maker

Kyoko Okamoto, koto player

Yasuko Sudo, koto player

Kimi Sugiyama,  -- cha no yu --  performer

Chizu Takaoka, narrator

Karen Takata, 1955-, origami & ribbon folding demonstrator

James Takemori, judo demonstrator

Harumi Taniguchi, 1902-2001, zabuton demonstrator

Hisano Tazumi, 1898-1999, zabuton demonstrator

Mrs. Sus Uyeda, ikebana demonstrator

Japanese

Yasuto Adachi, dancer

Shiro Chiba, 1936-, dancer

Tsukasa Ezaki, 1929-, dancer

Katsutoshi Hibi, 1944-, dancer

Tadao Kagami, 1939-, dancer

Takaki Kagawa, 1950-, flute, drum player

Setsuko Konishi, 1950-, dancer

Sachio Kuramoto, 1931-, shamisen player

Eiko Kurata, 1949-, dancer

Hideko Mamiya, 1945-, dancer

Kenjiro Maru, 1947-, flutist

Shigeo Mase, 1933-, dancer

Makiko Nakanishi, 1952-, dancer

Miyoko Nozawa, 1919-, dancer

Takae Ohmoto, dancer

Mitsuto Ohshita, dancer

Kinuko Sakakibara, 1935-, dancer

Kimio Sugawara, 1951-, singer, shamisen player

Akio Takahashi, 1933-, dancer

Kozo Yamaji, 1939-, stage director

Hisae Yamamoto, 1945-, dancer

Italian American

Siciliani

Sisto Cominotto, 1904-1982, puppeteer

Angelo Grillo, puppeteer

Ida Grillo, 1905-1994, puppeteer

Joanna Lauria, puppeteer

Vincent Lauria, puppeteer

Ann Manteo, puppeteer

Denise Manteo, puppeteer

Michael Manteo, puppeteer

Miguel Manteo, 1909-1989, puppeteer

Napolitana

Giuseppina D'Andrea, percussionist, singer

Calabrese

Angelo Azzinari, 1916-1983, singer

Annunziata Chimenti, 1917-2006, tambourine player and singer

Annunziato Chimenti, castanet player and singer

Giuseppe DeFranco, 1933-, accordion player

Francesca Feraco, tambourine player and singer

Angelo Gabriele, 1921-2006, accordion player and singer

Angelo Gencarelli, 1920-2004, singer

Vincenzo DeLuca, 1933-1983, bagpipe player

Molisani

Antonio David, drum, castanet player and singer

Vincenzo David, friction drum player

Trentini

Mario Dellao, singer

Guido Endrizzi, 1924-2001, singer

Cornelio Facinelli, singer

Simone Fellin, singer

Louis Flaim, singer

Umberto Flaim, singer

Mexican

Hermanos Fierro  -- Hermanos FierroAlejandro Fierro Samuyo, harpistDaniel Ramos Palacio, jarana playerHermo Solis Portela, jarana player

La Danza Azteca  -- La Danza AztecaJuan Narranjo González, dancerJulio Narranjo Gonzáles, violinist

Mariachi Udabe  -- Mariachi UdabeEzekiel Hernández, violinistRafael Hernández, violinistAntonio Macías, trumpet playerFelix Macías, trumpet playerJosé María Morales, violinistRamiro Morales, guitaristAdana Udave, violinistFilamon Udave, guitarron player

Huicholes  -- HuicholesMariano Ríos Díaz, guitaristRufino Ríos Díaz, violinistSantos González Ríos, dancer, craftspersonCrescencio Pérez Robles, dancerCarlos Ríos Rosas, violinistEncarnación Martínez Leguizamo, dancerAngélica Castillo Martínez, dancerJesús Reyes Vargas, harpist
name: label: Collection Creator
content: Smithsonian Institution. Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian Folklife Festival records: 1975 Festival of American Folklife
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
identifier: label: Identifier
content: CFCH.SFF.1975, Series 7
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials