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Hamadoun (Simbè) Sankaré wrote this poem and read it at a July 6 reception organized by the Peace Corps to honor the participants in the 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival Peace Corps program.
I have been working since 1987 at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and have curated too many Festival programs to mention.
Musician Lucky Lloyd was here for the first week of the Festival, playing lead guitar with Swamp Dogg. In this interview, he spins a delightful tale about his childhood in Detroit, a talent show, and his decision to become a musician.
This video shows Francisco in his shop in Colombia, where the curatorial team visited him last year.
This installment of Festival Audio features a live performance by the Colombian joropo ensemble Grupo Cabrestero.
African American Peace Corps volunteer Richard Campbell and Japanese American volunteer Shunpei Igushi talk about how they have experienced perceptions and generalized ideas of Americans during their service
Chirimía La Contundencia, one of Colombia's most renowned chirimía groups, presents their form of the traditional Pacifico genre to an audience eager to dance.
Of the many Smithsonian Folklife Festivals I have attended or worked since 1973, this one certainly has that special feel
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