Folklife
Folklife identifies living cultures with its past & present traditions.
The Southwest Folklife Alliance, based in Tucson, aims to discover, preserve, celebrate & inspire understanding of folklife in the Greater Southwest. SFA programs throughout the year serve communities and support he economic development of heritage with folk artists and artisans. SFA also puts on the annual (for more than 50 years) Tucson Meet Yourself festival, a 3-day folkife extravaganza in early October of folklife exhibits food and folklore presentations that because of covid restrictions last year was be a monthly series of events, online and outdoors. This year's Festival looks forward to another year of strong with record setting attendance. Sadly, Big Jim Griffith, a man for all seasons, is no longer with us.
SFA Ethnographic Field School 2016 at Ajo, Ariz & the Tohono O'odham Nation:
A week long program with Big Jim & Maribel Alvarez, folklorists extraordinaire, giving daily sessions explaining essential elements of ethnography, anthropology, folklife & folklore, combined with visits & discussion of peoples from Ajo, formerly a mining community with diverse heritages & traditions. At villages of the Nation, there were programs demonstrating basket and pottery making. Additionally, we had daily programs of writing & photography.
SFA Ethnographic Field School 2015 at Banamichi, Sonora, Mexico:
A week in January to 'study' people in context, showing the things they do, say, make as part of their daily life. The field school included a sense of writing and visual anthropology with special sessions by Sonoran anthropologist Ernesto Camou & a ranch experience at the Ochoa family with visits to churches in nearby communities. In addition, we see raw hide and mesquite furniture worksmanship, in addition to a homestead lunch tour. & cheesemaking demonstration.
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