Amid the flurry of production for the upcoming 2013 Folklife Festival, we take a glimpse back at some of our past programs.

We have just posted new pages of images, video, and essays from the Hawai‘i program in 1989 and the Baltic Nations program in 1998. Richard Kennedy, who co-curated the Hawai‘i program, shares some of the discussions and deliberations that informed the research process and the selection of artists. Guntis Šmidchens reflects on his experiences as a translator and presenter for the program that celebrated the Baltic “Singing Revolution.”

As we watch and listen to the program participants documented in the videos from 1989 and 1998, we revisit wonderful experiences and friends. We are also thinking about the artists who are now preparing for their upcoming performances and demonstrations in this summer’s Hungarian Heritage, One World, Many Voices, and The Will to Adorn Festival programs.

Special thanks to Charlie Weber, Roberta Wong Murray, PBS Hawai‘i, Heather Giugni and Juniroa Productions for working to make these videos available.

Explore the 1989 Hawai‘i program.
Explore the 1998 Baltic Nations program.