Heavy rain shortened our Independence Day programming at the Folklife Festival, but visitors who braved the weather were able to see music, dance, and crafts traditions from across Peru. While the afternoon activities continued on the National Mall, the day’s first and last concerts took refuge in the National Museum of the American Indian’s Rasmuson Theater.
If you took photos at the Festival today, please add them to our Flickr pool!
Friday night Alex Acuña rocked the Ralph Rinzler Concert Stage with his percussive mix of American jazz and Peruvian dance music. Photo by Josh Weilepp, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Tutuma kicked off the day in the Rasmuson Theater with an acrobatic display of zapateado (percussive footwork). Photo by Josh Weilepp, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
The Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen dances across the Mall to begin their performance at La Juerga. Photo by Francisco Guerra, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
MONKY has been silk-screening designs made from fieldwork photos by Folklife Festival photographer Joshua Eli Cogan of other Peruvian participants. Photo by Kadi Levo, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Manuela Ayasta and Margarita Guzmán demonstrated how to cook garbanzos norteños, a traditional dish from Monsefú. Photo by Pruitt Allen, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Alex Acuña returned to teach children how to play the cajón in the Wawawasi Kids Corner. Photo by Micheal Barnes, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Tutuma posed with visitors after demonstrating the atajo de negritos dance. Photo by Kadi Levo, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
As the National Park Service asked for the Mall to be evacuated, the dancers from Paucartambo brought the Virgen del Carmen to her storage container to stay safe and dry. Photo by Pruitt Allen, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
As participants, presenters, and staff took shelter inside the museum, the festivities continued in the green room. Wachiperi presenter Holly Wissler took a turn on the Cusco weavers’ sixteen-string guitar. Photo by Josh Weilepp, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Mario Palomino Coll Cárdenas played the stringed bandurria in the participant green room. Photo by Josh Weilepp, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
The weather looks good and clear for Sunday, so please join us for one final day of Perú: Pachamama as we welcome back Peruvians living in the United States to present for Festival Community Day. The Festival Marketplace will stay open until July 12, but the Folklife Festival will return to the National Mall in June 2016!
Elisa Hough is the editor for the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
Join our email list for the latest news from the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
Support the Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, sustainability projects, educational outreach, and more.
