Spring–Summer 2014 Volume 40: 1–2 The Journal of New York Folklore Rafael Hernández and the Harlem Hellfighters Pete Seeger in Song and Art Hermanos y Amigos de Guatemala The Seven Trees & Ramapough Ethnicity Storytelling Art: “Dead Man’s Liver” Steppers with Class From the Director From the Editor The Public Programs one of which was the study of American Folk “Sap’s Running!” is a Section of the Ameri- Culture. This important program advanced welcomed greeting in can Folklore Soci- scholarly study of folklore, serving as the train- the early spring of up- ety (AFS) recently ing ground for many distinguished folklorists. state New York. launched an “Advocacy Certainly, folklorists have frequently cham- It usually happens Tool Kit,” designed pioned support for folk arts in New York. The around March, when to assist folklorists successful formation of the Folk Arts Program the sun is a bit higher and their colleagues of the New York State Council on the Arts in the sky and is shining to better advocate for (NYSCA) resulted from a groundswell of just that much longer themselves and the field of folklore and folk citizen support in the early 1980s. Continued each day. culture. The development of this advocacy advocacy for Folk Arts as part of NYSCA is If there’s snowpack (and there usually is), plan, presented at the 2014 AFS Conference necessary, and advocacy is ongoing to continue then a bit of melt has begun. On weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico, was the Public to emphasize the importance of the arts for walks around the rural hills of my home, Programs Section’s response to a perceived the cultural life of the state. Similarly, ongo- you can see and hear the movement of the lack of readiness by folklorists to move into ing advocacy is needed for support for the melt, darkening the snow, trickling into the action when public folklore programs became “Endowments”—the National Endowment depressions of the land, and moving on to threatened by external policies and funding for the Arts and the National Endowment for the streams. cuts. While noting that folklorists frequently the Humanities—especially during times of The watery sap of the sugar maple also serve as advocates for the cultures, people, and particularly drastic federal fiscal belt-tightening. begins to move out of the roots and up into communities with whom they work, folklorists’ Folklorists and other champions of traditional the branches and leaves of the trees. It’s efforts at influencing policymakers and the culture continue to highlight the particularities during these first few weeks of spring, with public as to the value of folk culture, traditional of community expressions and folk culture sunny days and cold, below-freezing nights arts, and cultural conservation have sometimes within the many diverse communities in New that the gathering and boiling can begin. been less successful. York, finding allies wherever they can be found. All maple syrup producers rely on this In New York State, advocacy has been an Consummate activist Archie Green summed slight, but noticeable turn away from the important part of public folklore scholarship. it up: “In using plain speech to communicate dark and cold days of winter. Large and New York Folklore Society founder and histo- with others inside and outside our profes- small operators are found throughout the rian, Louis C. Jones, who became head of the sions, we undergird analysis, advance action, northern forests of the Northeast, wher- New York State Historical Association (NY- and step into coalitions.”1 As we look to the ever the sugar maple thrives. The rivalry SHA) in 1946 and, at the same time, progenitor future and ever-changing political landscapes, between New York and Vermont produc- of NYFS, did much to further folklore schol- folk culture will be best served by multiple ers is keen, though as a border dweller, I arship in New York. Under Jones’ direction, players, trumpeting an understanding of the really don’t notice a taste difference. Biggest the folk art collection at the Fenimore House importance of New York’s cultural diversity overall production is actually found further Museum in Cooperstown had its inception, and and the importance of traditional culture to north in Canada, with New York and Ver- by 1948, the “Seminars on American Culture” the health and well being of all New Yorkers. mont coming in second and third, respec- became part of programming at NYSHA, Ellen McHale, PhD, Executive Director tively. presenting all aspects of folk culture and NY New York Folklore Society Native Americans have long collected sap history to attentive audiences. Jones advocated [email protected] and boiled it for syrup, sharing the tradition strongly for the inception of the Cooperstown www.nyfolklore.org with the French of Canada and the English Graduate Programs in the early 1960s, and of New England. Someone back in time when it became a graduate program of the 1 Hufford, Mary, ed. 1994. Conserving Culture: A New was pretty smart, or incredibly desperate, at State University of New York at Oneonta, Discourse on Heritage. Published for the American the end of winter to boil 32–40 gallons of Folklore Society. Urbana and Chicago: University this program supported two academic tracks, of Illinois Press. continued on page 2 “When the time of year comes round with sap rising and snow melting, there is an insistent urge to take one’s part in the process— to tap the trees, to gather the sap, to boil out the sweet syrup of the maple.” —Helen and Scott Nearing, The Maple Sugar Book (1950), p. xiii. VOICES: The Journal of New York Folklore Contents Spring–Summer 2014 3 Features 3 Rafael Hernández and the Puerto Rican Legacy of the 369th Regiment’s Harlem Hellfighters by Elena Martínez 14 Hermanos y Amigos de Guatemala: Folklore as Strategy for Cultural Survival by Tom Van Buren 19 A Song For Pete Seeger by Joe Stead 20 America’s Last True Folk Hero by Michael D’Antuono 22 Irv and Fran Shapiro Folk Music Library by Maureen Dye 26 The Seven Trees and Ramapough Ethnicity by Gary Van Valen 32 “Dead Man’s Liver”— A Jump Tale Collected, retold, and arranged for performance by Tim Jennings 20 44 Steppers with Class by Zoe van Buren 32 Departments and Columns 13 Good Spirits by Libby Tucker 24 Downstate by Steve Zeitlin 38 ALN8BAL8MO: A Native Voice by Joseph Bruchac 40 Upstate by Varick A. Chittenden 42 Voices in New York by Sylvain Leroux Cover: Deer mask dancer in performance by Hermanos y Amigos de Guatemala (HAGUA) at ArtsWestchester on May 1, 2010. See Tom van Buren’s article, “Hermanos y Amigos de Guatemala: Folklore as 44 Strategy for Cultural Survival” on p 14. Spring–SummerSpring–Summer 2014,2014, VolumeVolume 40:40:1–2 1–2 1 1 From the Editor (continued) water for every gallon of maple syrup. local recipes for maple-glazed ham, maple The Abenaki say that this sweet treat once Johnnycake (see recipe on p. 31), maple- dripped from the trees, available any time sweetened baked beans, candied popcorn, of the year with no work required. But dumplings in maple syrup, maple frosting, Spring–Summer 2014 · Volume 40: 1–2 people got lazy and unappreciative of this maple sugar pie, just to name a few. Acquisitions Editor Todd DeGarmo Copy Editor Patricia Mason free gift, so the Creator diluted the syrup to One of my fondest memories from my Administrative Manager Laurie Longfield a watery sap, making the people work for first years as a folklorist in the Adirondacks Design Mary Beth Malmsheimer this sweet staple (see story insert on p. 31). was my visit to Athol’s Jack Wax Party, an Printer Eastwood Litho Indeed. These days its takes time and en- annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Editorial Board Varick Chittenden, Lydia Fish, Hanna Griff-Sleven, Nancy Groce, Lee Haring, ergy to produce this gift of nature. Wood Society. This event continues to attract a Bruce Jackson, Christopher Mulé, Libby Tucker, fires are often used to boil down the sap, large following, starting off with a supper Kay Turner, Dan Ward, Steve Zeitlin and it takes a lot of wood. A cord of fire- of homemade savory dishes, not unlike Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore wood will be burned for every 25 gallons of the church suppers that I experienced as is published twice a year by the pure maple syrup. That’s a stack of wood 8 a child. However, as good as the food is, New York Folklore Society, Inc. 129 Jay Street feet long, 4 feet wide, and 4 feet high. everyone is there for dessert: pure maple Schenectady, NY 12305 Mountains of firewood and the sugar syrup cooked on the industrial stove and la- New York Folklore Society, Inc. shacks—with their telltale open cupola in dled onto snow, apportioned into individu- Executive Director Ellen McHale the peak of the roof to let out the steam— al paper bowls. The quickly cooled, cooked Folklorist Lisa Overholser Administration and Gallery Laurie Longfield are evidence of this work. Looking closely syrup forms into a taffy-like dessert, called Web Administrator Patti Mason at the landscape, you find more evidence of Jack Wax or Sugar on Snow. With a twirl Voice (518) 346-7008 Fax (518) 346-6617 sugaring. Covered galvanized buckets and of a fork you eat it as is, possibly with a Web Site www.nyfolklore.org horse-drawn sleds have mostly replaced sour pickle chaser to cut the sweet and al- Board of Directors bark containers or wooden buckets with low you to eat more.