That’s “hello” in Basque, Japanese, Quechan, Armenian, Spanish, Pashto, and Kumeyaay—most (but probably not even all) of the languages represented in the 2016 Folklife Festival. As we learn about cultures and communities near and far, through personal interactions, creative arts, and languages, we learn to not just tolerate each others’ differences but to celebrate them. That is the mission of the Folklife Festival.
Here are some scenes of cultural explorations and celebrations from today on the National Mall. Have your own to share? Add them to the Flickr pool!
Zazpiak Bat is a youth dance group based at the San Francisco Basque Cultural Center. Find them on the Musika eta Dantza Etxea, Frontoia, or on Sunday at the Sounds of California Stage & Plaza. Photo by Francisco Guerra, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Banda Brillo de San Miguel Cuevas is part of the rich, dynamic soundtrack of California. Find them each day on the Sounds of California Stage & Plaza, accompanying the Grupo Nuu Yuku masked devil dancers. Photo by Brianna Allen, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Napolean is from Maryland, not the Basque country, but he was still welcomed by visitors and the Goiburu family of cheese makers. Photo by Mark Young, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
DJ Phatrick demonstrated the basics of DJing in The Studio. Photo by Francisco Guerra, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
The beautiful photo murals across the Basque program were erected by the Intermedio design team, allowing young visitors to “explore” the Basque country. Photo by Alan Jinich, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Providing a break from the heat and humidity, Low Leaf performed on the Arts and Industries Stage with her blend of harp, keys, and loops. Photo by Mark Young, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
The engineers at Tknika invited visitors to try rowing for themselves, but only in the kiddie pool! Photo by Brianna Allen, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Each day visitors are marking their birth places and current homes in the On the Move tent. Come add your journey! Photo by Alan Jinich, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
The TmbaTa youth band from Yerevan joined Los Angeles band Armenian Public Radio at the Sounds of California Stage & Plaza. See them together to hear a musical conversation between home country and diaspora communities. Photo by Francisco Guerra, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Kalakan kicked off the evening concert with a mix of traditional Basque and contemporary percussion on the Ralph Rinzler Concert Stage. Photo by Josh Weilepp, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
We only have two days left! Join us for a final weekend of Basque and Californian music, crafts, dance, games, and more. Start Saturday morning with a bang: the Kern County Basque Club Klika (drum and bugle corps). Share your immigration story of coping in new surroundings, learn magic tricks of the bertsolari oral poets, cool off in the Arts and Industries Building with TmbaTa, and hear spoken word poetry from San Francisco Bay Area’s Youth Speaks (one day only!). The evening concert features Latin jazz ensemble the John Santos Sextet with Afro-Caribbean vocalist Bobi Céspedes.
