Smithson Institution 34th Annual Smithsonian FoLKLiFE Festival OnTheNationalMall,Washington,D.C. luNE23-27&Tune30-Iuly4,2000 ineton,D.C: It'sOurHome BeyondtheLandofSno^ SpecialConcerts Onthefrontcover: Fromtoptobottom:Participantsmahumanrightsmarch viewtheAIDSMemorialQuiltontheNationalMall,D.C.; photobyAnneKluttz.AgroupofmonksatNamgyal MonasteryareengagedinaspiriteddebateofBuddhist philosophy;photo©SonamZoksang.AgroupofRaramuri IndianscelebratetheFiestadelaVirgendeGuadalupein CiudadJuarez,Chihuahua,Mexico;photobyGenevieve Mooser. Onthebackcover: Fromtoptobottom;Vaquerosropeacalfonaranchin SouthTexas;photobyJavierSalazar.TwoIhamo(Tibetan opera)performersentertainaudiencesduringanannual springFestival;photo©SonamZoksang.Youngathletes enjoyapick-upgameatLincolnHeightsDayblockpartyin NortheastD.C.;photobyHaroldDorwin. SmithsonianInstitution CenterforFolklife andCulturalHeritage 955UEnfantPlazaSuite2600 Washington,DC20560-0914 www.si.edti/folklife ©2000SmithsonianInstitution ISSN1056-6805 Editor:CarlaM.Borden AssociateEditor:PeterSeitel DirectorofDesign:KristenFemekes GraphicDesigner:CarolineBrownell DesignAssistant;LynnMurphy Washington, D.C: It'sOurHome ThisprogramisproducedincollaborationwaihtheD.C.CommissionontheArtsand Humanities.MajorsupponisprovidedbytheGovernmentoftheDistrictofColumbia, TheMorrisandGwendolynCafritzFoundation,TheD.C.SportsandEntertainment Commission,HiltonHotelsCorporation,TheDunnandBradstreetCorporation,TheMeyer Foundation,TheWashingtonPost,ChevyChaseBank,WashingtonMetropolitanAreaTransit AuthorityIBM,andTheRecordingIndustriesMusicPerformanceTrustFunds.Additional supportisprovidedbytheD.C.HumanitiesCouncil;theBlumKovlerFoundation;and PrograminAfricanAmericanCulture,DivisionofCulturalHistory,NationalMuseumof AmericanHistory.In-kindcontributorsincludeSPOTImageCorporation;AmericanUniversity; TheGeorgeWashingtonUniversityGelmanLibrary,SpecialCollectionsDepartment; HowardUniversity;GallaudetUniversity;andRonAllen, Tibetan CultureBeyondtheLandofSnows ThisprogramisproducedincollaborationwiththeConservancyforTibetanArt&Culture andwnththeassistanceofHisHolinessthe14thDalaiLamaofTibetandtheTibetan govemment-in-exile.MajorsupportisprovidedbytheInternationalCampaignforTibet, TibetFund,TibetHouseNewYork,TheRockefellerFoundation,TheGereFoundation, InnerHannonyWellnessCenter/PeterAmato,StevenandBarbaraRockefeller, EdwardFNazarko,theKruglakFamilyTibetanAllianceofChicago,Inc., TheShelleyandDonaldRubinFoundation,Inc.,UtahTibetSupponGroup, KazukoTatsumuraHillyer,andPadmaHealthProducts,Inc. ElRio ThisprogramisproducedincollaborationwiththeSmithsonianCenterforLatinoInitiatives. MajorsupportisprovidedbytheStateofNewMexico,SmithsonianLatinoInitiativesFund, U.S.DepartmentofAgriculture,andHousingAssistanceCouncil. AdditionalsupportisprovidedbyElConsejoNacionalparalaCulturaylasAries,Texas CommissionontheArts,ElConsejoparalaCulturadeNuevoLeon,InstitutoTamaulipecopara laCulturaylasArtes,DireccionGeneraldeEcologiadelEstadodeCoahuila,Programade MuseosComunitariosenelEstadodeChihuahua,andNationalMuseumofAmericanHistory's ENCUENTROS:LatinoAmericaattheSmithsonian.In-kindcontributorsincludeCambridge International;ColoradoCollege;CulturaFronteriza,A.C.;DesarrolloIntegraldelaFamiliadel MunicipiodeSaltillo,Coahuila;ElColegiodelaFronteraNorte;GardenCity; MexicanCulturalInstitute,Washington,D.C;PriefertMfg.;SouthwestCenterfor EmironmentalResearchandPolicy;UniversityofNewMexico;SouthwestHispanic ResearchInstitute;andUniversityofTexas-PanAmerican. 1 1 Contents TheFestival:FortheCuhuralGoodof Tibetan Culture theNationbyLawrenceM.Small 2 Beyondthe Land of Snows OurCulturalHeritage:TheKeytoPreserving America'sTreasuresbyBruceBabbitt 3 TibetanCultureBeyondtheLandof PursuingCulturalDemocracy SnowsbyRichardKennedy 38 b\-RichaidKunn 4 TibetanCultureinthe21stCentury FestivalPartnershipsbyDianaParker 10 byBhuchungK.Tsenng 43 TibetanBuddhismBeyondthe Washington, D.C: It's OurHome LandofSnows byMatthewPistonoandJamphelLhundup 46 WelcomebyAnthonyGittens 12 NunsintheTibetanBuddhistTradition ResearchPractices:HowWeLearned byVenerableLobsangDechen abouttheTraditionsofD.C.Folk andElizabethNapper 52 byManannaBlagburnandBrettWilliams 16 PreservingTibetanArt CultureandCommunity:Voicesof BeyondtheLandofSnows Washington,D.C. byKalsangandKimYeshi 54 Introduction RethinkingTibetanIdentity byJohnWFranklinandMichaelMcBnde 20 byLosangCRabgey 58 EveryDayoftheWeekbyAlpheusMathis 2 TibetanNomadsbyDanielJ,Miller 61 OurExperiencesatAdasIsrael byRa)TOondandPearlKruger 22 ElRio HarosetandHoecake:TheAfrican- ElRio:CultureandEnvironmentinthe American/JewishSederinD.C. RioGrande/RioBravoBasin byMichaelTwitty 23 byOliviaCadavalandC)TithiaVidaum 64 TheUbiquitousPoetryofWashington, TraditionalKnowledgeinthe D.C.byKennethCarroll 24 RioGrande/RioBravoBasin Go-Go,YesterdayandToday byVictorHernandez 71 bylleyBrownII 26 TheSpiritoftheRioGrande/RioBravo: "Stepping"OutbyCBnanWilliams 27 Land,Water,andCulturalIdentity TheVietnameseWeddinginWashington,D.C. byEnnqueR.Lamadnd 77 byThanh-ThuyNguyen 27 MakingaLivingintheRioGrande/ TheCircolodellaBriscola RioBravoBasinbyErinMartinRoss 84 byEnr—icoDavoli 29 Soccer TheBeautifulGame SpecialConcerts byWalterA.RobertsIII 30 SixthAnnualRalphRinzler Who'sGotNext?Pick-UpBasketballin MemorialConcert "1WAasmhianPgrtooun,dWD.oCm.abny"TomBlagburn 31 IntAroSdiuncgteironfobryMKyateTiRimnezlebryPegg>'Seeger 990 byElizabethClark-Lewis 32 PianoTraditionsbyHowardBass 97 LatinosandHumanRights EartotheGround:ACentenaryTributeto byNildaViUalta 33 MalvinaReynoldsbyAnthonySeeger 98 ReflectionsonNineteenYearsofService WoodyGuthrie'sSongsforChildren bySharonMurphy 34 byHowardBassandAnthonySeeger 99 SomeofUsWereBornHere byDianaOnley-Camp—bell 35 GeneralFestivalInformation loi BorninWashington AndinAmerica byEleanorHolmesNorton 36 The Festival For the Cultural Good of the Nation byLawrenceM.Small,Secretary,SniithsonianInstitution TheSmilhsonianisanimmenseforcefor theyreceiveusuallyfortifiestheirintenttopasson goodmAmencansocietyand,indeed, theirtraditionstochildren,apprentices,and amongpeopletfiroughouttheworldwho students,justasitsometimesencouragescultural aretouchedbyitsprograms.Onewaythe exemplarstoextendtheircreativitybyconnecting Smithsonianachievessomuchrecognitionand Ittobroadercivicandeconomicissues. respectisbyprovidingauthenticexperiencesof TheFestival'srichculturaldialogueonthe ourculturalheritage.There'sauthenticityinthe NationalMallisparticularlysignificantfor artifactsandartworksofourmuseums.There's Americanciviclifeasweenteranerainwhichno authenticityintheknowledgeSmithsonianscien- singleracialorethnicgroupwillbeamajority tists,scholars,curators,andeducatorspresentin TheFestivalallowsabroadarrayofvisitorsto books,exhibitions,andpublicprograms.And understandculturaldifferencesinacivil,respect- there'sauthenticity,inperhapsitsmostdramatic ful,andeducationalwayNowonderithas andintimateform,intheperformancesandactivi- becomeamodelforpublicculturalpresentation, tiesattheannualSmithsonianFolklifeFestival.If adoptedbyorganizationselsewhereintheUnited you'relookingforthegenuinetraditionsofour Statesandinotherdemocraticnations. culturalheritage,you'llfindthemattheFestival. Festivalprogramsareoftenreproduced"back ThegoaloftheFestivalistopresentdiverse, home"andreachdirectlytoregionsaroundthe community-basedtraditionsinanunderstandable UnitedStates.Earlierthismonth,the1999 andrespectfulwayThegreatstrengthofthe FestivalprogramonNewHampshirewasrepro- Festivalistoconnectthepublic,directlyandcom- ducedas"CelebrateNewHampshire"atthestate pellingly,withpractitionersofculturaltraditions. fairgrounds.Morethan14,000studentsattended Thisyear,theFestivalfeaturesprogramsonthe —theprogram.FromotherrecentFestivalprograms culturalecologyoftheRioGrande/RioBravo —onIowa,Wisconsin,andtheMississippiDelta Basin,onTibetanrefugeeculture,andonthelocal therehaveemergededucationkitsforschools, traditionsof"Washington,D.C.Ifyouwantto SmithsonianFolkwaysrecordings,teacher-training knowhowacowboyorvaquerofromSouthTexas programs,andeventravelingexhibitionsandtele- workscattle,youcanwatchhimdosoatthe visionprograms. Festival.Ifyouwanttoknowthemeaninga TheeducationalpoweroftheFestivalisfeltby Tibetan-Americanimmigrantseesinhercontin- hundredsofthousandsofpeoplewhoholdamag- uedpracticeofsacredtraditions,youcanaskher. nificent,open,publicdialogueatoursymbolic Andifyouwanttoimaginehowanurbanmural nationalcenterinth—eweeksleadinguptoour reflectslifeinWashington,D.C,youcanletyour IndependenceDay justasit'sfeltbycoundess mind'seyebeguidedbyanexperiencedartist. otherswhenthedialogueisresumedbackhome, TheFestivalhasanespeciallysignificantimpact instatesacrossthenation. onthoseartists,musicians,cooks,andritualspe- We'rehonoredandproudtoofferthiseventto cialistswhoparticipatedirectlyinit.Theattention thenation. Our Cultural Heritage: The Key to Preserving America's Treasures byBmceBabbitt,SecretajyofInterior Americanshavealwaysvaluedtheirnatural Todaythereisasenseofurgencyabout heritage.O—urheritageisthegiftofour protectingAmerica'snaturalandcultural forebears aninheritancewesharewith treasures,simplybecausewedon'talwaysget ourchildrenandfuturegenerations.Bypreserving asecondchance.Thereisasenseofurgency andprotectingspectacularsitesandbreathtaking aboutnotjustcelebratingthevisionaryactsof landscapesofnaturalbeauty,wepaytributeto greatleadersinthefirsthalfofthecentury,but America'spast.Millionsvisitournationalparks alsoturningtowardsthefutureandasking, everyyeartoexperiencetheglorioustapestryof "Whatisthatwewanttosee50and100years natureinplaceslikeGrandCanyon,Yellowstone, fromnow?Howwillwepreservethesetreasures andYosemite.Andaswehavelearned,biological forthefuture?" treasuresarealsotobe—appreciatedintheir Atthethresholdofthenewmillennium, integratedlandscapes grasslands,wetlands, we,alongwiththeWhiteHouseandtheU.S. forests,lakes,andrivers,inwhichlifeis Congress,supportaprogramtoSaveAmerica's continuallyrenewed.Atthenational,regional, Treasures.Someofthiseffortwallhelppreserve state,andlocallevels,Americansarecaring—for importanthistoricalandculturaliconslikethe andconservingtheirnaturalenvironment StarSpangledBannerandtheWrightBrothers becausetheyareveryconcernedaboutopen Flyer.Othergrantshavehelpedtorecover spaces,howweliveonthelandscape,andhow HispanicliterarytextsintheSouthwest,torestore weuseitsnaturalresources. theferrybuildingattheStatueofLibertywhere IncreasinglyAmericansalsocelebratetheir newimmigrantstooktheirfirststepsinto bountifulculturalheritage.TheNationalPark America,andtopreservetheSewall-Belmont Servicehaslongservedasstewardformanyofthe House,justablockfromtheCapitolin historicalsitesandmonumentsthatrepresentand Washington,D.C.,thefirst(andpresent) helptointerpretthediversityofournationallife. headquartersoftheNationalWoman'sParty Wepreserveandprotectmonumentsandmemo- whichpressedforwomen'ssuffrage. rialsthathelptodefineournation'sspiritandthe TheSmithsonianFolklifeFestivalitselfisan principlesforwhichwestand.Ourrecentinitia- Americantreasure.Thisannualeventbrings tiveshaverecognizedthatculturalsitesarepartof togetherontheNationalMallagreatdiversityof alargersociety,itssocialmovements,andits individualsandtraditions,demonstratingthatour historicalperiods.Throughfederal-stateand culturalheritagelives.Byhonoringpasttraditions public-and-privatepartnerships,wehaveencour- andsharingtheinheritanceofourculturally agedtheformat—ionofheritagecorridorsand — diverseheritagewithourchildrenandfuture heritagerivers theRioGrandeamongthem generations,wemovewithgraceandunderstand- topromotethepreservationandinterpretationof ingfromonemillenniumintothenext. culturalachievements. Pursuing Democracy Cultural byRichaniKunn Forsome,theFestivalisanentertaining showontheNationalMall,apleasant WESHIUlllllDKil! andfoosdu.mFmoerrtoithmeersd,iivteirssiaomnuwsitehusmonegx,hidbaitnicoen,, DtKL'MLMAK^ (U 111IM\KCII(JNWASHING1ON albeitwithlivingpeople,butnonethelessadis- playoftraditionsrootedinahistoricalpast. Whiletheseareindeedpossiblewaystoseethe Festival,theymightnotbethebest.Moreappro- priate,inmyopinion,istoseetheFestivalas —theexerciseandpursuitofculturaldemocracy aviewclosertotheintentionsofFestival producers,collaborators,andmostparticipants. ThefoundingdirectoroftheFestival,Ralph Rinzler,developedanideaofculturaldemocracy fromsuchteachersasWoodyGuthrie,Charles Seeger,andAlanLomaxandthroughthefolk TheMarchonWashingtonmarkedthemodernbegmnmgof musicrevivalandtheCivilRightsMovement. ttihoenuIsnetohfetihnestMitaultliofnosropfubdleimcocgratahceyr.inTghsetodoacsusemretntpaarrtyicipa- GuthrieexpressedAmericanpopulistdemocracy albumofthemarch,includingRev.MartinLutherKing,Jr.'s insong.His"ThisLandIsYourLand"presents /HaveaDreamspeech,waspublishedbyFolkwaysRecords. theideathateveryonehasanequalplaceasan Americaninthiscountryandthatnooneowns thenationmorethananyoneelse.CharlesSeeger, LouisianaandmTexas,thespintedperformances thefounderofethnomusicologyandapublicdoc- byold-timersofsuperbmusicalskillwereunder- umentanan,foundinAmericascommunitiesa appreciatedbytheirdescendents,buthad diversityofculturaltreasuresembodyingwisdom, achievedpopularityamongcityyouthinthe artistry,history,andknowledge.AlanLomax Northeast.Hesawthestrengthofculturalenfran- clearlysawthegrowingproblemof"culturalgray- chisementinthepowerfulrolemusicplayedm — out" theworldwidespreadofahomogenized, theCivilRightsMovement,whereitmobilized commercial,masscultureattheexpenseofmost peopleincommunitychurches,onpicketlines, localandregionalcultures.Inthe1960sRinzler andinthestreetsforagreatmoralbattle.For drewthesestrandstogetherandcreatedaplan. Rinzler,thegrassrootscreationandcontinuityof Rinzlersawtheproblemofculturaldisenfran- cultureincontemporarysocietywasabuilding chisement,aspeoplelosttouchwithandpower blockofdemocracyThedemocraticforceofcul- andcontrolovertheirownculturalproducts.He turewasraisedtoanewlevelontheNational sawthatinruralAppalachiaandinCajun MallwiththeMarchonWashingtonin1963and