Folk art collection
inspires
South Dakota work
T
By Anne Hatch, South Dakota Tradi!onal Arts Program Coordinator
oday, I am surrounded by boxes and giddy at the sight of an empty bookcase in the office of my new home in Rapid City. I unpack items of tradi"onal art gathered over the 30 years as a state folklorist for Utah, Nevada and Wyoming and reflect on how my previous work will inspire me as the folklorist for the South Dakota Arts Council. I unfold three weavings that provide insight into why I love my work. The Navajo rug came during my first trip to document a Tradi"onal Arts Appren"ceship project and my first of many visits to the Monument Valley area of Utah. The mee"ng with the motherdaughter pair taught me the impact that this grant category had on enhancing cultural knowledge and perpetua"ng tradi"onal skills for a genera"on of ar"sts to come. Learning how to make a rug was the smallest part of the lessons. I learned how understanding the design rela"onship among the landscape, family stories and community history was more important than the technique taught. The experience deepened my convic"on to support the transmission of tradi"onal arts to new genera"ons. The Tibetan carpet came through my work as the cra#s area coordinator at the annual Living Tradi"ons Fes"val in Salt Lake City. The fes"val featured performers, ar"sans and food vendors represen"ng the array of cultural groups within the city limits. Under the cra# tents, leather workers, wood carvers and fiber ar"sts demonstrated how to make saddles, lace, instruments, fans, moccasins, quilts and more. Visitors learned about the talents of their neighbors that are o#en hidden in backyard workshops or on basement tables. I experienced how Salt Lake’s newest immigrants, many refugees from distressed parts of the world, proudly shared their unique crea"vity and skills to connect with their new community. The Sco'sh tartan came from my family. The Nibleys are descended from Mormon Sco'sh immigrants who arrived in Utah in the 1840s. The family con"nues to gather and commemorate our patriarch Charles W. Nibley and his three wives, Rebecca, Ellen and Julia. To keep the three families straight, we wear colorcoded nametags: red, green
and blue. The Nibleys did not come from the Sco'sh Highlands, tartan country. So, to celebrate Charles’ 150th birthday, the family decided to commission a family tartan. For a new pa%ern to be approved, the design can only be submi%ed by a registered Sco'sh weaver and we were able to have a pa%ern represen"ng the three wives (with a bit of white for Charles) approved. Like so many heirlooms, my family’s collec"ve experiences of immigra"on, westward expansion, religious intolerance and our con"nued commitment to annual reunion and renewal are woven into this scarf which warms my soul more than anything else. I have much to learn about my new state’s history. I have many Na"ve, se%ler and recentarrival community members to visit as I look at opportuni"es for the ci"zens of South Dakota to experience their own and their neighbors’ vibrant tradi"onal arts. I know South Dakota has many experiences for me and I keep space on my shelves for new work to inspire me. If you would like to share a tradi"onal story, song or item with me, reach out to sdtradi!onalarts@outlook.com.
www.ArtsCouncil.sd.gov
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