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ALABAMAARTS In this Issue Art Trails in Alabama Folklife Volume XX Number 1 Folklife Trails: Reflecting the State’s Population 3 and Rich Culture Al Head, Executive Director, ASCA Alabama 4 A Landscape of Traditions Joey Brackner A Musical Tour of Alabama 11 Steve Grauberger Rosin Up the Bow: Alabama’s Fiddling 21 Conventions Joyce Cauthen Nature and Culture 27 A Documentation of Alabamians in Their Natural Environment Anne Kimzey The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival 32 A Whole Celebration Carol Prejean Zippert A Sampling of Traditional Cultural 35 Events in Alabama On the Cover: Digital montage using two quilts by Flavin Glover, “Canterbury” and “Inside Passage.” Used with permission of the artist. Flavin Glover, a quilt designer and teacher, lives in Auburn, Alabama. She holds a degree in Clothing, Textiles and Related Arts from Auburn University, but her first introduction to quilt making came in the mid-1950’s playing under a quilt frame while her mother, Nonnie Hudson Williams, and neighbors were quilting to raise funds for the local school’s PTA. As her experience grew, Flavin realized Log Cabin patchwork could become a design foundation that offered versatile pattern options. Today, her trademark, innovative Log Cabin and geometric patchwork quilts, inspired from landscapes and architecture, are composed of many fabrics in vibrant colors. Flavin’s patchwork quilts and original wearable fashions have been exhibited and published extensively since 1979. Her quilt “Row Houses” was selected one of the 100 Best American Quilts of the 20th Century. Her 2003 book “A New Look at Log Cabin Quilts” (C&T Publishing) is only one of the many publications featuring her works. She gives lec- tures and workshops throughout the United States. Library of Congress Card No. 74628447 ART TRAILS IN ALABAMA FOLKLIFE 2004 • ALABAMAARTS • 1 Alabama’s Fiddling Conventions A Musical Tour of Alabama Alabama: A Landscape of Traditions Festivals and other Cultural Events 2 • ALABAMAARTS • ART TRAILS IN ALABAMA FOLKLIFE 2004 FOLKLIFE TRAILS: Reflecting the State’s Population and Rich Culture by Al Head he Spring/Summer edition of Alabama Arts is The Council believes strongly in nurturing folklife as a devoted to a journey down a few of the many matter of state policy and as a means of preserving and T folklife trails in a state known internationally for enhancing the quality of the entire state’s population. the richness of its folk traditions, communities and artists. Through the text and images of this “folklife trails” In a time of technological advances, rapidly changing edition of Alabama Arts, we want to introduce readers to landscapes, demographic shifts and an ever pervasive the state’s unique folk environment. You will read about “popular culture”, Alabama is a state reflective of a merg- artists, artistic expressions, communities and regions as ing of folkways from old and new populations. But, as is well as current programs. Some of the references will the case with a number of the state’s more unique cultural address the past and expressions from a colorful history. resources, the “real thing” can sometimes be hard to find. Most of the narrative, however, talks about people and We hope this publication, devoted to Alabama’s folklife, places of the present – things that can be seen or heard will pave the way to some expanded awareness and excit- and places that can be visited now. Alabamians are gener- ing adventures found on the state’s highways and by-ways. ally proud of their heritage and tend to have their own The State Council on the Arts identified the impor- family stories to tell and traditions to share. Many have tance of Alabama’s folklife back in the early days of the grown up with folk traditions all around them. While this agency’s formation. Supporting folk artists and folklife exposure may be prevalent, we too often take the signifi- projects has long been a high priority of the Council. cance of folk culture for granted and feel this “old stuff” is After the Council was established in 1966, one of the first something to be left behind as we become more educated “program coordinator” positions added to the staff was in and progressive-minded. We strongly urge Alabamians the area of folk art. There was much work to be done and not to go down that road of thinking. A deepening of great progress was made with initiating support for pro- appreciation for one’s own culture as well as that of others grams ranging from Sacred Harp singers to traditional is not only mind-broadening but an enjoyable journey potters. In 1990 the Council, with assistance from the involving both people and places. We hope this issue will National Endowment for the Arts, created a programming help in that endeavor for the home-folks wanting to arm, or division of the agency known as the Alabama rediscover Alabama’s cultural treasures and those curious Center for Traditional Culture. The Center has been “outsiders” wanting to experience the “real thing” for the spotlighted as a national model with respect to state arts first time. I agencies support for folklife programming. In the Council’s current long-range plan special emphasis is given to preserving and presenting folk traditions. The plan document states, “The unique folk expressions of Al Head is the Alabama, a product both of isolation and a mixture of Executive Director influences, reflect the state’s diverse population and sym- bolize its rich culture. Tradition-based songs, stories, of the Alabama State dances, and crafts truly represent the art of the people.” Council on the Arts. ART TRAILS IN ALABAMA FOLKLIFE 2004 • ALABAMAARTS • 3 ALABAMA labama is one of the most or work together, the folk diverse environments in the process of learning is in opera- AUnited States composed of tion, even in this age of televi- mountains, prairie, delta wetlands, sion and the Internet. All and beaches. Along with a treasure people have folk culture trove of plant varieties and animal whether they farm, cut pulp species is also a rich and complex wood or are CEOs. cultural landscape. The cultural The defining characteris- practices, including art, that are tics of folk art are the process of rooted in community are folk tradi- learning it and how it reflects a tions and are an important part of community’s aesthetics. Within this landscape of human activity. these boundaries, the skill and The connection between culture idiosyncrasies of folk practi- (learned behavior), art, and place tioners can vary. “Folk art” as it can be seen along the roads of is used here is not synonymous Alabama if you just know how to with the art style also known as Photo by Joey Brackner look. In this article, we will discuss “self-taught,” “outsider,” or Some early folk traditions such as the Indian’s use of gourd the nature of folk traditions, where “primitive.” Instead, this defini- martin houses are tied to the environment. they are found, and how one can tion of “folk” is based on process run across cow pastures, log dogtrot experience them. and not a subjective formal analysis. houses that have been clap-boarded Folk artists are highly trained in a over, these are the fabric of our past manner that earns them the designa- as it exists in the present. Such arti- FOLK ART TRADITIONS tion “folk.” At some point in their facts are ideas shaped from wood, Folk traditions are, by defini- lives, folk artists learned at the side metal, clay or stone and can be tion, a product of community. The of more accomplished practitioners studied to understand how the folk process of acquiring knowledge who taught “correct” technique and culture of a region developed. This is direct, informal exposure to a way a community aesthetic. Their work material culture is a text with vocab- of doing things outside of an acad- or performance ranges from ulary and syntax that with a little emic setting. This can occur on the outstanding to ungainly but these effort one can interpret. The state’s job, in the family or in a congrega- physical characteristics do not deter- steel mills, farmsteads, WPA bridges tion. This method of learning “the mine their inclusion or exclusion as and Indian mound sites tell part of way things should be done” reflects a a representative of a folk tradition. community consensus of opinion and the story of Alabama. This landscape shared aesthetic that differs between is not static but dynamic, being communities, ethnicities, occupa- DECODING THE continually reworked, reflecting the tions, religious groups, and regions. CULTURAL LANDSCAPE cultural practices of its inhabitants. This timeless educational process Throughout Alabama, the Like the natural environment, was in place long before writing and landscape is covered with rich layers some of these resources are endan- was the first mechanism for perpetu- of cultural information. Old ceme- gered including a rich variety of ating culture. Wherever people live teries, stage coach roads that now vernacular architecture. Vernacular 4 • ALABAMAARTS • ART TRAILS IN ALABAMA FOLKLIFE 2004 A Landscape of Traditions by Joey Brackner or folk architecture, a symbol of local a frontier innovation with European Alabama during the early nineteenth utility and aesthetic, tells us much origins with a garden growing okra century determined regional differ- about our heritage as Southerners or sweet potatoes imported from ences within the state. Topography and the formation and diversity of Africa; along a rail fence grows a and the disposition of the state’s Alabama folk culture. In the story of Lady Banks rose, brought to America mountains and rivers dictated that the dogtrot house, we glimpse the from China via England, and over- the northwestern one third of the folk process at work.

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