Well, its Folklife Festival time again. (It seems I’ve been at this gig for so long now, and especially with the National Mall right outside my office, that annual Washington events have become tediously cyclical, as if to mark how old and bored I’m getting). Despite my aversion to throngs of waddling touristas, and even though its always so excruciatingly hot and humid when the thing is going on (wouldn’t it be wiser to hold it in the Spring or Autumn?), I always venture over and find something worth seeing.
The Festival seems to be getting smaller and smaller and slightly slipshod with each year. I suppose its hard to top The Silk Road theme of a couple of years ago, which was well-planned, rich and diverse, and worked so well thematically. This year’s themes are Haiti, Nuestra Música (Music in Latino Culture), and Waterways. Pretty disparate.
Yesterday I was able to take in a live chicken sacrifice demonstration, get drunk on sugar cane rum, attempt to salsa with some granolas types, and learn some sea shanties.
Actually I experienced the most stunning mariachi performance. Was even making me tear up a bit (its been a rough couple of weeks). Los Camperos de Nati Cano are amazing! I’ve always been a sucker for mariachi -Nati Cano and his orchestra bring it to new joyous, heartfelt, and sublime levels. Awesome!
The Haiti section seemed to be still getting organized but I was able to learn a bit. Jeepneys in Haiti are called Tap Taps. I was watching a devil mask making demonstration and an obnoxious fat white lady came by and started criticizing the artisan’s technique and offering unwanted suggestions. It was really rude and absurd. They couldn’t speak English and she couldn’t speak French or Creole and she was persistent despite the fact that it was none of her business and they couldn’t understand her and a loud, heated row ensued. She’s totally going to get Voudoued!
The Waterways section was pretty unremarkable. A boat is on display.
I heard some old time gospel/spiritual music coming from a tent and it sounded kinda awful. Then I realized they were not only being led by a shrill-voiced white woman - half the ensemble was deaf!

Comments

[stebbins]

Yeah, I was pretty unimpressed with the Waterways exhibit. It's like, yeah, let's get the Nature Conservancy to have a booth and then make some crab cakes.

Maybe it's because it was familiar, as opposed to exotic, but I thought it was boring.

And the food? A Philips Seafood pavillion wasn't doing it for me, compared to the wonderful food at the Haitian and Latino areas.