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Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

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The Dance of the Feather Is a Flight Between Tradition and Modernity

Two people ride on horseback along a dirt road lined by yellowing tall grass. In front of them are a dog and dozens of cattle.

The Community of Families in Western Craft Traditions of Idaho

A pop-up museum display, featuring a tower of several “bricks” stacked like Jenga pieces. Each brick has writing on it: Fomo, body image, masculine marketing, pick-me girls, female sexuality, gender roles, a mother’s influence.

'Hey, You Kids, Get on Our Lawn!' Your Invitation to a Totally Teen Summer

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Smithsonian Folklife Festival Presents Youth and the Future of Culture, July 2–7

In a crystal dish, beside a plate of pancakes, butter formed in the shape of a lamb with a red ribbon around its neck, red flag sticking out from its back, and a black peppercorn for an eye.

Behold the Butter Lamb of God: A Polish Catholic Easter Tradition Beloved in Buffalo, New York

Two people in grass skirts stand on the shore, facing the ocean under an overcast sky.

Shared Experiences Through the Ongoing Virtual Mother Tongue Film Festival

A five by two grid showing ten images from ten movies that will be showcased at the festival. In the top left corner, the Mother Tongue Film Festival logo boasts red and cream colors.

Don’t Miss the First Hybrid Mother Tongue Film Festival

alt="An elder woman with dark skin and short white hair holds up a framed twelve-inch gold record, smiling. Behind her is a seated crowd under a festival tent."

A Century of Ella Jenkins: Tributes to the First Lady of Children’s Music

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'Dressing Like a Human' to Honor Uzbekistani Art and Identity

A young girl pulls strands on an oversized, multicolor basket.

The 2024 Smithsonian Folklife Festival Guide for Kids and Families

Two children and an adult sit on three swings in a dry landscape with trees in the background.

Filmmaker Billy Luther Explains How Frybread Face and Me Was a Labor of Love

Five adults dressed in white dresses, robes, and veils pose along a forest path. One carries a lit lantern, and another carries a white flag.

This Elven Choir in Sweden Sings Tolkien’s Middle-earth to Life

In the foreground, a lineup of mannequins each with colorful embroidered garments. At the end of the line, out of focus, a woman dresses a mannequin.

A Global Tapestry of Craft: Championing Women Artisans of Central Asia in a New Lookbook

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How I Visit with Houma Relatives in the Smithsonian’s Archival Collections

From behind, a person walks through a street filled with gray rubble, toward run-down buildings with graffiti in Turkish on the walls.

How Living Heritage Heals the Invisible Fractures of the Soul in Eastern Türkiye

A person in a costume of black tank top, short yellow wig with furry white ears, and yellow leather bracelets, poses through a black wrought-iron railing.

When Escaping Reality Helps Define Identity: Expression and Empowerment in the Cosplay Community

A man in white dress sits with a thoughtful expression on his face outdoors, green and red foliage out of focus behind him. Old color film photo.

A Man of Peace: Grand Master Kim’s Vision for Chicago and the World

Two women decorate a large array of cookies laid out on a table.

Celebrate National Cookie Day With This Scottish Treat

One of many cat statues at the American Museum of the House Cat in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

Adopting Cat Culture in North Carolina’s Dog Country

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