MONTGOMERY COLLEGE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER WITH
THE MARYLAND STATE ARTS COUNCIL PRESENTS
JANUARY 18, 2014 SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND
MARYLAND TRADITIONS
2013 ALTA AWARDS ACHIEVEMENT IN LIVING TRADITIONS & ARTS
PISCATAWAY HOMELANDS Recipient for PLACE
A LETTER FROM THE GOVERNOR Dear Friends: Welcome to the 7th annual Maryland Traditions Achievement in Living Traditions and Arts Awards Ceremony. Congratulations to the 2013 recipients. Since 1974, the folklife program at the Maryland State Arts Council has documented Maryland’s expressive traditions to ensure that our culture stays vibrant and strong. As we join together today, we celebrate the people, places and traditions that exemplify outstanding stewardship of Maryland’s rich and diverse folklife. The individuals we recognize are accomplished artisans who are dedicated to sharing their skills with younger generations; the places we recognize help sustain our vibrant and dynamic communities; and the traditions celebrated today help give shape to our identities as Marylanders. For nearly 40 years, we have recognized those who infuse our everyday lives with the artistry of our ancestors, bridging our past with a promising future. As we look toward that future, we are grateful for their contributions. Best wishes for a memorable event. Sincerely,
Governor Martin O’Malley
About Maryland Traditions Maryland Traditions is the folklife program of the Maryland State Arts Council, with additional funding provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. Since 2001, Maryland Traditions has seeded a network of regional partners engaged in documenting and celebrating folklife in Maryland. Folklife is cultural knowledge handed down from generation to generation through word of mouth or by example. It may be verbal, musical or visual, occupational or religious. It may be indigenous or have found a welcoming home in Maryland in more recent times. Through fieldwork, grants, public programs, archives, apprenticeships, awards, and publications, we carry out our aim of sustaining living traditions.
Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center The Center’s mission is to improve cultural literacy and build bridges between the arts and varied academic disciplines for the campus and surrounding community. The CAC provides a comprehensive program which presents and examines traditional and contemporary indigenous, American, and international cultural expression. In order to achieve this goal we incorporate a diverse array of events, including art exhibitions and theatrical, dance and musical performances that represent a wide range of cultures.
PROGRAM
OPENING WELCOME Dr. Tony D. Hawkins Dean of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, Montgomery College
SPECIAL PERFORMANCE SWEET HEAVEN KINGS | Prince George’s County/D.C. In honor of the 2013 ALTA Award Recipients PR E S E N T E R S Cliff Murphy Director, Maryland Traditions and Julia Olin Executive Director, National Council for the Traditional Arts
PRESENTATION OF THE ALTA | TRADITION OYSTER FRITTERS OF THE SHARPTOWN FIREMEN’S CARNIVAL | Wicomico County P R E S E N T E R Cindy Byrd Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art | Ladies Auxiliary of the Sharptown Fire Department
PRESENTATION OF THE ALTA | PEOPLE WALLACE M. “WALLY” YATER |
PRESENTER
FI L M
Washington County Michelle Stefano Program Coordinator, Maryland Traditions Produced by Maryland Traditions and UMBC New Media Studio
REMEMBRANCE Paying tribute to ALTA and National Heritage Fellows we have lost. P R E S E N T E R Barry Bergey Director, Folk & Traditional Arts, NEA
PRESENTATION OF THE ALTA | PLACE PISCATAWAY HOMELANDS: PEOPLE, CULTURE, AND TRADITIONS | Prince George’s, St. Mary’s, and Charles Counties I N T R O D U C T I O N Theresa Colvin Executive Director, Maryland State Arts Council P E R F O R M A N C E Chesapeakwe P R E S E N T E R S Michelle Stefano | Dr. Gabrielle Tayac Piscataway Indian Nation; Mervin Savoy Piscataway-Conoy Tribe; Natalie Proctor Cedarville Band of Piscataway; Rico Newman Choptico Band of Piscataway P E R F O R M A N C E Piscataway-Conoy Drum and Dance Troupe
RECEPTION
ALTA
THE MARYLAND TRADITIONS ALTA AWARD
The Achievement in Living Traditions and Arts (ALTA) Award was created by Maryland Traditions in 2007 to recognize outstanding stewardship of Maryland’s living traditions. The award is named in honor of folklorist and community leader, Dr. Alta Schrock (1911-2001), who was a native of Garrett County and among the first Mennonite women to receive a PhD, taught biology at Frostburg State University, and also founded publications, events, and lasting institutions designed to share and safeguard her region’s traditional art forms. Her achievements in cultural conservation include the creation of The Spruce Forest Artisan Village, Penn Alps, the Journal of the Alleghenies, and the Springs Festival.
Each year, three awards are presented in the categories of people, place and tradition. Recipients are selected based on their demonstration of the highest standards of excellence in such areas as research, documentation, presentation, entrepreneurship, artistry, stewardship, and community impact; places honored are those that specially serve to keep traditions alive and that are meaningful and effective gathering places or sites for carrying on living or endangered traditions; and traditions recognized are those that connect communities to cultural heritage in ways that exemplify Maryland’s dynamic spirit and may include events, occupations, knowledge, cultural scenes, and organizations.
2013 ALTA AWARD RECIPIENTS PEOPLE WALLACE M. “WALLY” YATER is a master blacksmith living in Boonsboro, Maryland (Washington County). Always interested in being able to make things from hand, Wally found his passion for working with hot metals as an engineering major at George Washington University. After moving to Boonsboro in the early 1970s, Wally began to develop his skills in both practical and artistic blacksmithing. He often passed the Middletown shop of master bladesmith, Bill Moran, and sought out becoming a member of Moran’s crew. Wally is a longtime active member of the Artist Blacksmith Association of North America (ABANA) and has published several articles on blacksmithing techniques. Wally’s signature contribution to blacksmithing is his popular swage block – a square-shaped, anvil-like block that weighs roughly 120 pounds and is used for shaping hot metal into various, pre-made depressions. Wally is the founder of the Blacksmith Guild of Western Maryland.
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PLACE PISCATAWAY HOMELANDS: PEOPLE, CULTURE AND TRADITIONS: are being honored to promote a greater understanding of the deep relationships contemporary Piscataway have to their cultural landscapes and waterways and the numerous historical and spiritual places thereof. In 2012, Governor O’Malley acknowledged the Piscataway Indian Nation and the PiscatawayConoy Tribe, which includes the Cedarville Band of Piscataway and the Choptico Band of Piscataway, as indigenous to the state. For millennia, Piscataway homelands have been integral to the expression and transmission of Piscataway living cultural heritage – relationships that continue through to today. While these lands and waterways extend beyond Maryland, the award focuses on the areas in Prince George’s, St. Mary’s and Charles Counties that the Piscataway consider their core. Today, it is in these counties where many Piscataway live, have their tribal offices, churches, burial grounds, businesses, and gather for tribal and family ceremonies, as well as where they engage the public through festivals, environmental and cultural programs. Accepting the award on behalf of Piscataway Homelands: People, Culture and Traditions are Dr. Gabrielle Tayac (on behalf of Chief Billy Tayac, Piscataway Indian Nation), Mervin Savoy (Piscataway-Conoy Tribe), Natalie Proctor (Cedarville Band of Piscataway), and Rico Newman (Choptico Band of Piscataway).
TRADITION THE OYSTER FRITTERS OF THE SHARPTOWN FIREMEN’S CARNIVAL (Wicomico County) are an enduring community tradition that brings families, friends, and neighbors together over summer picnic tables while honoring the foodways of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and the fruits of the Chesapeake Bay. Since 1949, the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Sharptown Fire Department has coordinated an extended group of ladies who pitch in to help mix, fry, and serve tens of thousands of plate-sized oyster fritters. These mouth-watering sandwiches are the calling card of the 80-year-old carnival, enticing hungry visitors to make an annual pilgrimage to the festival from across the Delmarva and beyond. The cooks include current Ladies Auxiliary President, Chrys Gosnell, the last remaining charter member, Ivalee Wheatley, and Sylvia “Marva” Goslee, who has mixed oysters with the group for nearly 40 years. These ladies accept the award on behalf of all of the bearers of this beloved tradition.
PERFORMANCE THE SWEET HEAVEN KINGS The Sweet Heaven Kings (Prince George’s County/ Washington D.C.) are led by Norvus Miller, Sr. and deliver a raucous, trombone-driven form of gospel music distinct to the United House of Prayer for All Peoples. Their “shout band” music can be heard every Sunday at their home church in Northwest DC. The Sweet Heaven Kings were featured in the documentary film The Music District (1996) and participated in the 2012 Maryland Traditions Folklife Festival. Norvus Miller, Sr. and Jr. received a Maryland Traditions Apprenticeship Award in 2011.
2012
PAST ALTA AWARD WINNERS PERSON The Carroll County Ramblers are a family bluegrass group based in Taneytown, Maryland (Carroll County). Founded by Dottie and Leroy Eyler in 1961 (and led today by daughter Bonnie and son Dale), the group has mentored generations of bluegrass musicians along the MasonDixon Line.
PLACE Sparrows Point Steel Mill and Its Communities: From its founding in 1887 until its permanent closure in 2012, hundreds of thousands of steel workers and associated personnel knew Sparrows Point Steel Mill (Baltimore County) as a place of employment and as “home”, with special importance in the company towns of Dundalk and Sparrows Point.
TRADITION J. Gruber’s Hagers-Town Town And Country Almanack is the oldest almanac in the US that
2011
is still produced by heirs of the original founder. Established in Hagerstown (Washington County), it has been providing agricultural, meteorological and astrological information for the Mid-Atlantic region since 1797.
PERSON Rich Smoker is a master decoy carver who lives in Marion, Maryland (Somerset County) and grew up on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. He developed an interest in waterfowl at an early age and began carving hunting decoys with his father.
PLACE Patterson Bowling Center Duckpin Bowling Lanes is the oldest duckpin bowling alley in the world and Baltimore’s sole remaining duckpin-only alley. Located near Patterson Park, it was founded in 1927.
TRADITION The Singing & Praying Bands of Maryland (Eastern and Western Shore) are an AfricanAmerican devotional/musical tradition that is unique to the Delmarva. With origins in West African religion, Christianity, and African-American ring shout traditions, Singing & Praying Bands developed during slavery.
2010
PEOPLE The descendants of Nathaniel “Uncle Nace” Hopkins (pictured) hold the annual Emancipation Day celebrations in Trappe (Talbot County) since 1867. Hopkins was born into slavery, served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and founded the Emancipation Day parade.
PLACE Globe Poster opened in Baltimore in 1927 to produce show posters for vaudeville acts, carnivals, burlesque, and movie theaters. It has defined the regional and international visual aesthetic of R&B, Soul, and Funk for over 60 years, as well as electoral campaigns, carnivals, and festivals.
TRADITION Jousting is one of the oldest rural traditions of the mid-Atlantic region. Maryland is
2009
home to two ring jousting tournaments that have run annually since before the Civil War. Jousting is Maryland’s official state sport.
PERSON George Wunderlich of Hagerstown (Washington County) is an acclaimed builder of minstrel era (mid-1800s) Wunder banjos and a leading public cultural historian of the banjo and its Baltimore-based commercial roots.
PLACE Blob’s Park & Bavarian Bier Garten in Jessup (Anne Arundel County) was opened by Max Blob in 1933 and is the home for social gatherings, homecomings, and anyone interested in great polka music and German fare.
TRADITION Swan Meadow School of Oakland (Garrett County) aims to educate students on the
2008
musical, culinary, literary, and storytelling traditions of the Amish and Mennonite communities of Western Maryland.
PEOPLE The United Methodist Women of Smith Island have perpetuated traditions, stories, songs, and everyday lifeways for generations. They have become known for Smith Island Layer Cake, anointed in 2008 as our official State Dessert.
PLACE J. Patrick’s, located in Baltimore City’s Locust Point, was the home for social gatherings of musicians, dancers, and anyone interested in Irish music and culture.
TRADITION The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival fills the Howard County Fairgrounds with sheep
2007
breeders, cooks, textile artists, and every aspect of sheep fancying. It is considered the finest and largest sheep and wool event in the nation.
PERSON Anna Holmes of North Brentwood (Prince George’s County) was an educator, quilter, family historian, and community activist whose work on behalf of her family and her hometown has ensured that their stories will be preserved.
Design by Evins Design, Baltimore
PLACE Penn Alps & Spruce Forest Artisan Village in Grantsville (Garrett County) continues to preserve and showcase Appalachian culture for all who venture onto the National Road.
TRADITION The National Outdoor Show has presented the culture of Dorchester County’s marshes since 1938 and is the home of the International Muskrat Skinning contest.
For more information on Maryland Traditions visit: www.marylandtraditions.org Department of Business & Economic Development www.ChooseMaryland.org Maryland State Arts Council www.msac.org 175 West Ostend Street, Suite E | Baltimore, MD 21230 T E LE PH O N E: 410-767-6555 M D R E L AY T T Y: 1-800-735-2258 or 711 If you need assistance using this publication, please contact the MSAC office. T E LE PH O N E: 410-767-6555 or T T Y: 1-800-735-2258 or 711 for individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Individuals who do not use conventional print may contact the Maryland State Arts Council office to obtain this publication in an alternate format. T E LE PH O N E: 410-767-6555 | E M A I L: msac@msac.org
Martin O’Malley Governor Anthony G. Brown Lieutenant Governor Dominick Murray Secretary, Department of Business and Economic Development
T H A N K S TO: MSAC staff, the National Council for the Traditional Arts, Maryland Traditions Partners, Barry Bergey, Chief Billy Tayac, Cindy Byrd, Lisa Hayes, Virginia Busby, Julia King, Allen Dyer, Leanora Winters, Carlita Proctor McIlwain, Anjela Barnes, Meg Nicholas, Julia Fischer, Bill Shewbridge, Landry Digeon, Christine Ferrera, Edwin Remsberg, and Julia Evins.
ALTA Photos by Edwin Remsberg. The ALTA Awards Ceremony and Concert is produced by the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA). A Maryland Traditions partner based in Silver Spring, the NCTA is a private, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the presentation and documentation of folk and traditional arts in the United States. Founded in 1933, it is the oldest folk arts organization in the nation. ON THE COVER, clockwise from top left: Tobacco offering at Piscataway burial grounds in Piscataway Park; The view from St. Ignatius Church in Port Tobacco; Tidal wetlands on the north bank of the Potomac River, Piscataway Park; Sacred cedar tree at Piscataway burial grounds in Piscataway Park; Sweat lodge at the Piscataway Indian Museum and Resource Center, Waldorf; Sign at the Piscataway Indian Museum and Resource Center, Waldorf; St. Ignatius Church, Port Tobacco
NCTA