Fall–Winter 2014 Volume 40: 3–4 The Journal of New York Folklore Alice Testrake In Her Own Words Cultured Wilderness and Wild Culture in Rochester Petrifaction Legends in Turkey In Memoriam Yacub Addy National Heritage Fellow My Grandfather’s Left-Wing Bungalow Colony From the Director From the Editor Today, President chised portion of our nation: the rural, the My brother Mark sur- Obama released his poor, minority populations, and the young. prised me in early No- FY2016 budget. For a folklore organization, government vember with a request Economists and poli- support for folk arts provides support for for his birthday. He ticians will spend the arts that are specific to certain communities wanted to come up from next several weeks or segments of our populations. Support New York City to visit dissecting and debat- for folk arts provides a validation for arts, grave sites of our father’s ing its merits, and the which are seldom seen within American ancestors found on both final result will very popular culture, or within Western Euro- sides of the upper Hud- likely be an alteration of President Obama’s pean fine art expressions. Referencing the son River. He thought it was fitting, given his original intention. In its first presentation, American populace as a whole, Bill Ivey, birthday’s proximity to Día de los Muertos, the however, the President recommends a mod- former NEA Chair and folklorist, pointed Mexican celebration, Day of the Dead. est increase for the National Endowment for to the importance for Americans everywhere This was not a typical request. There had the Arts and the National Endowment for to live a vibrant “expressive life” comprised been no such visits within our immediate the Humanities, and specific funding for a of two components: heritage and voice. He family. We were taught that loved ones were national program of arts education. said, “Every American (and all people) must not found at the grave; these contained only Why, one might ask, should government continually choose between activities and earthly remains, and reunions would take support the arts? The reasons are numerous engagements that connect them with family place in the afterlife, in heaven. and range from the purely economic reason and community and those that enable them Nonetheless, I could easily fulfill Mark’s that the arts are economic drivers for the to ‘go inside,’ digging into personal expres- request. As the family historian living in the nation’s downtowns and tourist industries, to sion, individual creativity, and idiosyncrasies” upper Hudson Valley for almost 30 years, I the quality of life issues, which have shown (Ivey 2012, 142). Folk and traditional arts had tracked down many generations of my that the arts provide important vehicles for provide one vehicle for this expression of father’s family who lived here since before the leisure and for the aesthetic expressions of heritage, coupled with a personal aesthetic American Revolution. We could spend many our everyday lives. Government support and creative impulse. hours visiting a dizzying number of small for the arts, although not a total answer for In the upcoming months, as Congress plots with headstones bearing the names of arts activities, provides a mechanism for art debates the proposed FY2016 budget, I DeGarmo, Ham, Spicer, Angel, Sprague, Sut- and arts activities to reach every member of urge you to contact your local congressman fin, and so on. After all, as you trace your lin- our nation. to express your support for arts and culture. eage back through the generations, you add The arts have historically benefitted from Your support matters. the family of each mother and acknowledge wealthy patrons, predominantly located in another bloodline. If we wanted to be inclu- urban areas and that continues to be the case, Ellen McHale, PhD, Executive Director sive, this could be a long visit. as the wealthier among us provide support New York Folklore Society We had an interesting day, touring the to those arts activities that inspire them. [email protected] countryside, visiting a select number of grave- However, to rely upon that patronage for the www.nyfolklore.org yards and house sites in our quest for ances- entire nation skews the equation and creates a tors. That evening, I posted on Facebook, situation where art is accessible only to those “Celebrating family, birthdays, and Día de los who can pay for it. With arts funding from Muertos with Mark DeGarmo,” and included a the state or federal level, it has been found Source: Ivey, Bill. 2012. Handmaking Amer- photo of Mark embracing a family headstone that arts education, and the opportunities to ica: A Back-to-Basics Pathway to a Revitalized where my dad, his brother, and their parents experience art activities, reaches a less enfran- American Democracy. Berkeley: Counterpoint. are buried. continued on page 2 “There are those who identify themselves as part of a tradition or heritage that their families have not been a part of for long because it suits their personal interests and the way they wish to express their own self-identity.” —Martha C. Sims and Martine Stephens. 2005. Living Folklore: An Introduction to the Study of People and Their Traditions. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, p. 44. VOICES: The Journal of New York Folklore Contents Fall–Winter 2014 3 Features 3 In Her Own Words: The Story of Alice Testrake Collected and Illustrated by Valerie Walawender 20 Cultured Wilderness and Wild Culture The Olmsted Legacy in Rochester and Graffiti in the Grove by Charles Burroughs 28 How I Spent My Summer (1967) by Erica Wolfe Burke 32 Evaluation of Petrifaction Legends in Turkey in Terms of Cultural Heritage and Tourism by Hasan Buğrul 42 Remembering My Grandfather’s Left-Wing Bungalow Colony in Dutchess County by Raanan Geberer Departments and Columns 12 Upstate 20 by Varick A. Chittenden 18 Downstate by Steve Zeitlin 31 Obituary: Yacub Addy 28 40 From the Waterfront by Nancy Solomon 44 Voices in New York by Anna Mulé 45 Book Reviews 46 NYFS News and Notes 42 Cover: We remember Yacub Addy, Ghanaian drum master from Latham, New York, and 2010 NEA Heritage Fellow. See p. 31. Fall–WinterFall–Winter 2014,2014, VolumeVolume 40:40:3–4 3–4 1 1 From the Editor (continued) Among the “likes” and assorted support- of the oldest lines instead of the newer addi- ive comments to my post was the question, tions, it’s interesting to note that her daugh- “Are you Hispanic?” ter (my Grandma Bessie) was quite proud of This seemingly innocent question brought her Scots-Irish heritage, proclaiming, “We’re Fall–Winter 2014 · Volume 40: 3–4 me back to school-age questions of national- a frugal and hearty stock!” Acquisitions Editor Todd DeGarmo Copy Editor Patricia Mason ity, and ultimately, identity. Are you Italian? Although my family ancestry can be called Administrative Manager Laurie Longfield Maybe, Spanish? “No,” I would reply, “De- “American Mutt,” I continue my search to Design Mary Beth Malmsheimer Garmo” comes from a ‘de Garmeaux’ with a rediscover the journeys and interesting sto- Printer Eastwood Litho castle in Brittany, and that our first ancestor ries of our multiple bloodlines, and seek to Editorial Board Varick Chittenden, Lydia Fish, Hanna Griff-Sleven, Nancy Groce, Lee Haring, in this country was Pierre, a fur trader who discover how these contribute to the family Bruce Jackson, Christopher Mulé, Libby Tucker, left some debts behind in Montreal.” I was we are today. Kay Turner, Dan Ward, Steve Zeitlin pleased to be connected to this “vagabond” “Are you Hispanic?” I did celebrate Día de Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore and his French nobility. I readily claimed my los Muertos with Mark that day, but I do not is published twice a year by the French heritage and still do. This identity, claim “Hispanic” as a bloodline or an iden- New York Folklore Society, Inc. 129 Jay Street however, doesn’t match the genetics. Pierre tity. But surely Mark does. When he called Schenectady, NY 12305 married a Dutch woman in late 17th-century me with his birthday request, he had just New York Folklore Society, Inc. colonial Albany, and his descendants married gotten back from Mexico. His life and work Executive Director Ellen McHale many different nationalities over the genera- has many special connections to Mexico and Program Manager, NYC Region Eileen Condon tions. Though my surname is a reminder, the Latin America, as an artist, teacher, and ad- Administration and Gallery Laurie Longfield French has become a very diluted portion of opted son. On this most recent visit, he cel- Web Administrator Patti Mason Voice (518) 346-7008 my bloodline. ebrated a wedding as a witness and special Fax (518) 346-6617 Borden is my mother’s maiden name, trac- guest of the Velasco family who had “ad- Web Site www.nyfolklore.org ing back to an English ancestor who came to opted” both he and his husband Jan in the Board of Directors this country, also during the colonial period, 1970s. They identify Mark and Jan as family, President Tom van Buren marrying into German, Swedish and many with open-armed hospitality and love. Vice President/Secretary Christopher Mulé Treasurer John Braungard other nationalities over the generations. My brother-in-law Jan responded to the Past President Gabrielle Hamilton When asked about his ancestry, my mother’s Facebook question: “Should it be called the Gabrielle Berlinger, Gregory S. Shatan, Naomi Sturm, Kay Turner father, called “Pop” by his grandchildren, Day of the Dead or also the Day of the Liv- would reply with pride, “We’re mutts, Ameri- ing? If it helps us appreciate what we have Advertisers: To inquire, please call the NYFS (518) 346-7008 or fax (518) 346-6617.