Fall–Winter 2002 Volume 28: 3–4 The Journal of New York Folklore Blue-Ribbon Pie A Decade of North Country Legends Images from AFS–Rochester The Güira Maker of Queens Upstate’s Steel Guitar Tradition The Dance of the DiDinga Catskill Women From the Director The 2002 American State Council on the Arts worked with program cent nominees Bruce Buckley and WFH Folklore Society meet- committee members Beverly Butcher and Lee Nicolaisen, both elected in 1991. ing, held in Rochester on Haring to organize the hundreds of papers into October 16–20, had as a cohesive conference program. 2002 Wrapup its theme “Image, Ob- The American Folklore Society conference ject, and Processes of NYFS 2002 Annual Meeting was a major preoccupation of NYFS staff in Documentation.” More The annual meeting of the New York Folklore 2002, but not to the exclusion of other projects. than 650 folklore schol- Society took place on Sunday, October 20, at Dale Johnson and consultant Kathleen Condon ars gathered from around the world for four days the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Rochester. Elected have been working on a curriculum project to of AFS paper sessions, plenary speeches, and to two-year terms were returning board mem- encourage the use of folklore materials that will meetings. Much of the meeting was sign-lan- bers Mary Zwolinski, Ladan Alomar, Beverly satisfy state teaching standards for the fourth guage interpreted through the generosity of TAP Butcher, Pamela Cooley, Jim Corsaro, Eniko grade. With support from the Documentary Plus funds of the Theatre Development Fund, Farkas, Nancy Johnson, Stanley Ransom, Bart Heritage Program of the State Archives, NYFS and there were several papers on the theme of Roselli, and Lynne Williamson. Newly elected is once again working with Urban Think Tank, deaf folklore, organized by Simon Carmel, pro- board members are Midge Stock of Salamanca, Inc., to document the early days of Hip Hop in fessor emeritus of the Rochester Technical Ted McGraw of Rochester, and Hanna Griff New York City through a survey of archival Institute for the Deaf. Carmel and Jo Radner of New York City. New officers are Mary records. NYFS also received support this year also produced a storytelling concert that included Zwolinski, president; Hanna Griff, vice-presi- from the Schenectady County Planning Depart- deaf storytellers. The Music and Song Section dent; and Ladan Alomar, secretary-treasurer. We ment for a series of folk art demonstrations in of the American Folklore Society worked with said a fond farewell to outgoing board members the gallery at 133 Jay Street in Schenectady. Rita the Country Dancers of Rochester to present a Cecily Cook, Elly Shodell, and officers Todd Chrisjohn Benson (traditional Iroquois art), square dance, and the meeting ended with a gala DeGarmo (now past president) and David Beverley Carhart (woodcarving), Barry Irving dinner and dance at the Macedonian Church of Quinn, treasurer. We appreciate their many years (West African drum making), Everett Hartman West Henrietta with music by the Campbell of service to the Folklore Society and the wis- (marketry), Nefisa Khanshab (mehendi), and Brothers Sacred Steel, Karamfil, and the Rod dom and support that they have shared with us Mark Swanberry (stone carving) presented their Nickson Project. See pages 4–7 for Marty over the years. work in August and early September. Cooper’s photos from the conference. In other NYFS business, George Ward and the The New York Folklore Society was heavily late Vaughn Ward were elected as honorary vice- Plans for 2003 involved in the AFS meeting. Dale Johnson, di- presidents of the Society. As stated in the bylaws, We anticipate the continuance of gallery demon- rector of services, organized several miniconcerts “The Board of Directors, at their discretion, may strations and our successful forum series. We are showcasing upstate New York traditional musi- elect honorary vice presidents of the Society. Such planning new initiatives for technical assistance, cians, with support from the New York State honorary officers shall not have responsibilities in and we envision the release of at least ten radio Council on the Arts. NYFS also sponsored and the governance of the Society, nor shall they exer- documentaries that will air on public radio sta- organized an audio digitization workshop with cise voting rights at the meetings of the Board of tions across New York State. Our annual meeting Matthew Barton of the Lomax Archives and Directors.” George and Vaughn Ward join a se- will be held jointly with Traditional Arts of Up- Ted McGraw of Rochester. Cochairs Ellen lect group of honorary vice-presidents who have state New York (TAUNY) in Canton in early McHale and Robert Baron of the New York used folklore in literature, including Carl Carmer, October 2003. Samuel Hopkins Adams, and Walter D. Edmunds We look forward to your support in 2003 and (1944). Other honorary vice-presidents were no- hope to see you in Canton next October! Erratum table for their promotion of New York State Ellen McHale, Ph.D. In the article about Camp Woodland in the folklore and involvement in the New York Folk- Executive Director, New York Folklore Society Spring-Summer 2002 issue, Neil Larson’s name lore Society, including Louis Jones and Ben Botkin [email protected] was misspelled. Voices regrets the error. (1949), Harold Thompson (1955), and more re- www.nyfolklore.org “Knowledge of a nation’s folklore is knowledge of the creative workings of the minds of its folk. It is key to a nation’s values, a highway that leads into the heart of its people.” —Carl Carmer, New York Folklore Quarterly vol. 9, no. 1, 1953 Contents Fall–Winter 2002 4 Features 4 Music and Art to Remember: The 2002 American Folklore Society Conference Photographs by Martha Cooper 10 Pinto Güira and His Magic Bullet: A Dominican Instrument Maker in Corona, Queens by Sydney Hutchinson 18 Salute to North Country Legends: Ten Years of TAUNY’s Heritage Awards by Jill Breit 26 Sacred Steel and the Empire State by Robert L. Stone 32 Emerging Traditions: Dance Performances of the Sudanese DiDinga in Syracuse by Felicia Faye McMahon 38 Celebrating Catskill Mountain Women: Family Stories, Community History by Melissa Ladenheim 10 43 Alan Lomax, 1915–2002 Departments and Columns 18 3 New York Folklore Society News 8 Upstate by Varick A. Chittenden 9 Downstate by Steve Zeitlin 16 Eye of the Camera by Martha Cooper 17 Foodways by Lynn Case Ekfelt 24 On Air Bea Reynolds won more than forty by Mary Zwolinski et al. blue ribbons and was named Grand Champion Cook at the Franklin County Fair before her death in 37 Archival Questions 2002. She was also among the by Nancy Johnson “North Country Legends” honored by TAUNY for mastering and conserving community traditions; 44 Lawyer’s Sidebar see page 18. In the Finger Lakes, by Paul Rapp another champion baker wins a title for “the world’s greatest grape Book Reviews pie.” See page 17 for that story, 45 plus a recipe from the mother of 26 all grape pies. Photo:Martha 48 Announcements Cooper Fall Winter 2002, Volume 28: 3–4 1 scripts submitted as articles. The review process Submission Guidelines for takes several months. Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore Deadlines permitting, authors read and cor- Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore rect galley proofs for typographical errors. Authors receive two complimentary copies of the Voices: The Journal of New York Folklore is a spond; both pieces may be published together. issue in which their contribution appears and may membership magazine of the New York Any subject may be addressed or rebutted once purchase additional copies at a discount. Authors Folklore Society (www.nyfolklore.org). by any correspondent. The principal criteria for of feature articles may purchase offprints; price The New York Folklore Society is a nonprofit, publication are whether, in the opinion of the information is available upon publication. statewide organization dedicated to furthering editor or the editorial board, the comment con- cultural equity and cross-cultural understanding stitutes a substantive contribution to folklore Submission Deadlines through programs that nurture folk cultural ex- studies, and whether it will interest our general Spring–Summer December 31 pressions within communities where they readers. Fall–Winter issue June 30 originate, share these traditions across cultural Letters should not exceed 500 words. Manuscripts should be sent by regular mail (not boundaries, and enhance the understanding and e-mail) to Voices at the following address: appreciation of folk culture. Through Voices the Style society communicates with professional folklor- The journal follows The Chicago Manual of Style. New York Folklore Society Publications, 133 Jay ists and members of related fields, traditional Consult Webster’s Third International Dictionary for Street, Schenectady, NY 12301. artists, and a general public interested in folklore. questions of spelling, meaning, and usage, and Voices is dedicated to publishing the content avoid gender-specific terminology. of folklore in the words and images of its cre- Footnotes. Endnotes and footnotes should be ators and practitioners. The journal publishes avoided; incorporate such information into the research-based articles, written in an accessible text. Ancillary information may be submitted as style, on topics related to traditional art and life. a sidebar. It also features stories, interviews, reminiscences, Bibliographic citations. For citations of text Fall–Winter 2002 · Volume 28: 3-4 essays, folk poetry and music, photographs, and from outside sources, use the author-date style artwork drawn from people in all parts of New described in The Chicago Manual of Style. Editors Karen Taussig-Lux ([email protected]) Language. All material must be submitted in and Sally Atwater ([email protected]) York State.