New Neighbors: Common Ground in the Commonwealth
The 2008 Virginia Folklife Area is entitled New Neighbors: Common Ground in the Commonwealth. New Neighbors will explore the artistry, creativity and community life of new immigrants to Virginia highlighting artistic achievement, deeply-held cultural expressions and cross-cultural communication. Below is a map of the countries represented this year in the MWV Virginia Folklife Area.
Craft/Material Culture/Foodways Participants
- Ahmed Osman and Kwathi Ajawin
Sudanese Coffee & Tea Ceremonies, Poetry and Children’s games - Alfo-Conce
Guatemalan Alfombra de Arracin makers - Birgitte Hansen Tessier
Bobbin Lace maker - Ernesto Gomez and David Amoroso
Mexican Dia de los Muertos traditions - Gankhuyag Natsag
Mongolian Khuree Tsam Mask and Costume Maker - Joanna Griffin, Nadia Hoots and Elaine Hampton
Tidewater Ukrainian Cultural Association
Ukrainian Pysanky - Miguel Hugo Flores
Bolivian Dance Costume Design, Embroidery and Mask Making - Mongolian Goo-Ertunts Society
Mongolian Ger and household arts - Saint John the Baptist Lutheran Church Ladies Auxiliary
Slovakian Foodways - Sochieta Ung
Cambodian Dance Costume Designer and Fabricator - Southside Virginia Czech/Slovak Heritage Society
Community Historians and Activists
Joyce Pritchard and Marie Blaha Pearson - Trupti Vakharia
Rangoli (Indian welcome carpets) - Wilhelm and Melanie Wanders
Master Chocolatier and Marzipan Artisans
Music/Dance Participants
- Husnu Aydogdu & the Turkish Music Ensemble
Turkish Instrumental and Vocal Music - Dholi Mastana, Dholi Brij and Dholi Mosaic
(Dave Gupta, Brij Sehdave, and Sorabh Bhargava)
Indian (Punjabi) Percussion Ensemble - The Edelweiss Boys
German Accordion Band - Ganga
Indian (Bengali) Song and Instrumental Music Ensemble - River Nile Band
Sudanese Popular music - Rumah Gadang Group
Indonesian Minang (West Sumatran) Music and Dance - The Sama Ensemble
Persian Daf and Tombak drumming - Solazo
Ecuadoran, Chilean & Argentine Music - Thongtanh Souvannaphanh
(Lao Heritage Foundation)
Laotian Instrumental Music - Jose “Chino” Terrones
Master dancer, and Peruvian music and dance ensemble
Peruvian Marinera Dance