It’s time for Week Two of the 2016 Folklife Festival! After the Fourth of July, we bid farewell to FandangObon, Klaperttaŕak, the Joaldunak, and several other Basque and Californian groups. This week we welcome Korrontzi, MC Bambu and DJ Phatrick, Low Leaf, plus more Basque American dance diaspora troupes. Who are you most excited to see?
If you have photos of your own from the 2016 Folklife Festival, please add them to our Flickr pool! And on social media, remember to use the hashtag #2016Folklife.
Blanka Gomez de Segura has been working away creating containers of all sizes in the pottery tent. Photo by Robert Friedman, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Behind the scenes, stone worker Bernat Vidal prepared a stone leftover from the construction of the Smithsonian Castle. Over the next few days, Bernat will carve a piece that will stay in Washington, D.C. Photo by Elisa Hough, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
We had many summer camp visitors today. Stan Rodriguez corralled a group of them to learn some Native Kumeyaay games. Photo by Joe Furgal, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Music journalist Oliver Wang (left) interviewed Ray Guzmán (part of Grupo Nuu Yuku) and Bambu (right) about their individual experiences growing up with hip-hop and starting to rap in The Studio. Photo by J.B. Weilepp, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
The Basque Dancers of the Great Basin from Elko, Nevada, brought along a “bighead,” a popular Basque festival costume. Photo by Francisco Guerra, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Twice a day, Errukine Olaziregi hosts Basque language lessons at the Euskaltegi tent. Photo by Willa Friedman, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
The Basque Dancers of the Great Basin arrived this week, ready to share their traditional dances with Washington. Photo by SarahVictoria Rosemann, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Today’s rural sports session featured a mock rowing race, using ergometers on the Frontoia. Photo by Josh Weilepp, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
A film crew from Voice of America interviewed a member of Grupo Nuu Yuku in between devil dances. Photo by Elisa Hough, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Los Angeles band Armenian Public Radio capped off the evening on the Ralph Rinzler Concert Stage, performing alongside Armenian youth group TmbaTa. Photo by SarahVictoria Rosemann, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives
Tomorrow we have even more special guests: Zazpiak Bat dancers from San Francisco, four sheep from Maryland, and Kalakan and Gatibu, two rock backs from Basque country.
This week in the California program, we’re featuring many sessions on a more modern form of folk music: hip-hop. A special cross-program on verbal improvisation will pair together California rapper Bambu with Basque bertsolari Irati Anda. Music journalist Oliver Wang will lead a discussion on Asian American hip-hop, and DJ Phatrick will host a turntablism demonstration.
Elisa Hough is the editor for the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
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