Dancing toward self-empowerment and cultural pride with New American Africans

Twenty teenage Congolese boys kneel on a Concord community center floor performing synchronized dance movements with their eyes trained on their instructor, Thierryne Dusabe. There are giggles and serious faces and singing. The group instinctively breaks from their routine to shout improvisational chants, words, and sounds. To an English speaking listener, these outbursts in the Congolese & Rwandan language of Kinyarwanda are indecipherable except for the clear feeling of joy being sung into the air by these Concord youth. If you follow the sound of giggles and laughter, a group of teenage girls can be found in the bathroom practicing their coordinated moves into the mirror. Each week from Tuesday through Friday dozens of Concord’s Congolese, Burundi, and Rwandan youth participate in an after school program offered by New American Africans, a nonprofit organization. NAA Director Honroé Murenzi says that the primary goal of the afterschool program “…is to help our students to catch up to their peers and promote high expectation for themselves. NAA offers an after school program that strives to link families with their child's academic success as well as to reinforce cultural strength and pride.”

Concord, NH youth dancing during NAA's after school program

Youth focus on after school academic help Tuesday through Thursday, and on Friday they learn traditional Congolese and Rwandan dances. Murenzi shares, “We are committed to supporting opportunities for children and families to come together in community activities that not only reflect their own cultural perspectives, but that also expose them to diverse (and similar) approaches to expressing cultural perspectives through dance, music and the arts. These are traditions that reinforce a strong sense of community pride and sense of well-being” The program aims to give students a greater sense of self-worth and confidence in their ability to overcome academic challenges that arise from cultural and linguistic barriers. The program involves parents and young adult role models in sharing and celebrating traditional culture. 

The youth are practicing the traditional dances of Ikinimba and Igishakamba, Umushayayo/ Umushayagiro, and Intore, that are performed during weddings, ceremonies and important cultural events. The youth will perform in a community wide cultural celebration in the spring. 


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New American Africans (NAA) is a self-supporting community group for refugees living in New Hampshire. Through African leadership, NAA develops strong immigrant communities that reflect diverse cultural perspectives by promoting collaboration, equity, resilience and opportunities to thrive with dignity and respect.

Thierryne Dusabe: Traditional Burundi dancer Thierryne Dusabe grew up in Rwanda and attended the College of Medical Technicians, Gitega in Burundi where she participated in the dance group Inyange. She was later resettled at the Zaleka refugee camp in Malawi where she joined a Burundian traditional dance group Imanzi that performed in weddings, and cultural shows. Dusabe is currently a student at Nashua Community College studying nursing.

This program is supported in part by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts

Performing Artists: Become NEST eligible | Educators: Please take our 5 minute survey

Traditional Performing Artists: How to become a NEST (New England States Touring) performer.

The New England Foundation for the Arts offers quarterly NEST (New England States Touring) grants to organizations who want to bring an out-of-state performer to their organization. The performers are chosen from a list of "NEST eligible performers". If you are a performing artist who is interested in performing out of state, and has done at least 5 public performances in the past year, you can apply to be added to the list of NEST eligible artists. You will need a CreativeGround profile in order to be considered. Watch this video to find out how to become a NEST performer.


Educators: Please take our 5 minute Survey

The NH State Council on the Arts believes that studying local art forms, history, and culture, can foster connections with the community, develop citizenship, and directly support state curriculum objectives. The Heritage and Traditional Arts Program in consultation with the Arts in Education program, artists and educators is developing lesson plans and curriculum units to help teachers share our artistic traditions with K-12 students. We are asking for your help in identifying what makes a good teaching and learning resource. What do you need most to support your instruction?

We appreciate you taking time to answer the following questions that will inform what type of resources we develop.

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2MGQCXH 

Members of the Orzechowski family performing at Canterbury Shaker Village

NH Folklife Calendar

The NH Council on the Arts wants to share exciting news that the NH Folklife website was recently redesigned to be ADA accessible and provide more opportunities for sharing the many cultural heritage events and programs across the state. The redesign was possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The official launch of the site will not be until mid- November, but we wanted to share with you some of the new features. A new NH Folklife calendar can be used to promote your workshops, events, dances, gatherings, fairs, demonstrations, and learning opportunities. There are already many events populated on the calendar!  We will be working toward have this calendar included on state-wide tourist sites, social media and promote in regional newspapers.  If you have upcoming cultural heritage events that you would like to share, please fill out the form, and bookmark the link to publicize future events. Thank you all for your creativity, passion, and investment in our communities.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jRqhqODnwW7vT3QFhkZw2M7NdSA_aWOkDII-2G6eqsU/viewform?usp=send_form

Bhutanese Bamboo Carving & Weaving

New Hampshire is home to over two-thousand Bhutanese refugees who have been resettling in the state since 2008. Many of our new community members are skilled artisans, musicians, and dancers who bring with them knowledge of traditional Bhutanese and Nepali cultural traditions including the weaving and carving of bamboo. In South Asia bamboo is an abundant resource that is used for crafts, to make furniture, and even as a building material. When Bhutanese refugees lived in camps in Nepal, many sold bamboo products as a source of income. In New England it can be difficult to obtain the same kind of bamboo used in Bhutan and Nepal, so many artists are adapting traditional art forms to use new materials that are more accessible here in New Hampshire.

Binayo- a small mouth harp that is carved from pieces of bamboo. The binayo is played by putting one end of the instrument in your mouth and plucking a string that is suspended over a small hole. The pitch of the instrument changes when you open and close your mouth. According to Dhadi Rai, binayo have been played in Bhutan and Nepal “forever”. He learned how to make and play this instrument from his father. The binayo can be played alone or for when groups of friends get together. 

Muda- a woven sitting stool found in many homes of Bhutanese refugees. The stool is made by cutting and carving a pole of mature bamboo into thin reeds. The reeds are then woven into a mat and tied with strong twine. The mat is then folded into an hourglass shape and two rims made out of bicycle tires are added. The top rim is then sewn to the bamboo reeds and covered with a decorative weaving pattern. Mudas are both strong and decorative for the home. 

Many new community members are assisted by the Bhutanese Community of New Hampshire, a community nonprofit organization founded in 2010 to help New Americans living in the state of New Hampshire to achieve a better quality of life.

New Hampshire State Council on the Arts has been working with photographer and community member Becky Field of Fieldwork Photos to identify immigrant and refugee community members who are respected in their communities as traditional musicians and craftspeople. 

From Top: Detail of woven muda;  Puspa Adhakari splitting bamboo; Adhakari shaving bamboo reeds;
Adhakari weaving top of muda; Dhadi Rai playing a binayo he carved out of bamboo.
Photos and fieldwork by Becky Field.

Ebru Painting

The New Hampshire Turkish Cultural Center in Manchester offers Turkish cultural classes in the arts, language, cooking, and more for New Hampshire’s growing Turkish community. They are proud to have skilled artists like Hümeyra Ozcan living in New Hampshire and to be able to share this cultural tradition with other community members.

Ebru is a traditional Turkish form of painting that is described as “painting on water.” It has been practiced in Turkey since the 13th century. Marbled paper has been used as a background for calligraphy, religious texts, and to decorate special books. For many centuries people have thought that Turkish artists’ marbling styles were the best in the world.

To create the marbled paper, water is thickened by adding the gum from the tragacanth plant. This creates an oily surface which helps paint pigments float on top of the water and not get absorbed. An Ebru artist then takes a needle, a special comb, or brushes made out of horse hair to swirl the paint pigments together in endless patterns. Most Ebru artists spend years apprenticing or learning from a Master teacher. Once the artist is happy with the pattern, absorbent paper is carefully laid down on top of the water and lifted back out in one motion.

The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts has been working with photographer and community scholar Becky Field of Fieldwork Photos to identify immigrant and refugee community members who are respected in their communities as traditional musicians and craftspeople.  

Left: Hümeyra Ozcan leading an Ebru painting
workshop at the Turkish Cultural Center in Manchester, NH

Living NH Cultural Heritage: April 2014

April, May, and the spring thaw can’t help but spread a sense of renewal and beginning. More hours of sunlight, yellow-green grass emerging from underneath melting mountains of snow, perennials peeking out of the ground, and of course many cultural heritage organizations will open for their 2014 season.

This month’s newsletter shares over 100 traditional arts and cultural heritage events and opportunities happening across NH, with many more probably not listed. Please be in touch and share your events for future newsletters and promotion.

Happy Spring!


Living NH Cultural Heritage is a monthly newsletter to help share the many heritage and traditional arts events, demonstrations, performances, and news that makes New Hampshire so culturally vibrant. Please share this newsletter, and email or call with any events, news, performances, or meetings you would like to include in the newsletter. Contact: Julianne Morse, Heritage & Traditional Arts Coordinator , NH State Council on the Arts Julianne.morse@dcr.nh.gov (603)271-0791

*This list is compiled by the NH State Council on the Arts. NHSCA is not responsible for the organization, planning, quality, or scheduling of these programs. Please contact the program host organization directly to confirm the final date and time of the program. All underlined content is a hyperlink to more information.

NHSCA Grants & Roster Opportunities

Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grants assist in the preservation of traditional/heritage-based arts (crafts, dance and music) by funding a master traditional artist to teach an experienced apprentice in one-to-one sessions. Deadline 7/11/14.

Traditional Arts & Folklife Listing A juried listing of traditional artists, community scholars and folklorists who are available for presentations, demonstrations, lectures, performances and workshops. Many organizations reference this listing when planning for their events. Deadline 7/11/14

Arts in Education Artist Roster  a juried roster of artists that represent diverse disciplines, cultures, and regions of the state can bring new ideas, skills, energy, and creativity to schools and communities in New Hampshire. Deadline 4/11/2014.

Stay Connected with NH State Council on the Arts

Friend NHSCA on Facebook     |    Follow @nhtradarts on twitter     |     Read NH Heritage Arts Blog

Community Events

Strawbery Banke presents Preservation Series The series takes place in the Tyco Visitors Center. Each 5:30 pm talk is open to the public, with a suggested donation at the door of $10 ($5 for members). Light refreshments.
April 17- Richard Candee and Bob Chase, Preservation in the North End of Portsmouth
May 6- John Schnitzler and Elizabeth Farish, Tour of Strawbery Banke’s Thales Yeaton House

April 19- Annual Sugar Run Pow-wow, Laconia Indian Historical Assoc.(LIHA): Memorial Middle School, 150 McGrath St., Laconia, NH 603-878-5697

April 23, 2 PM - American Indian Beadwork of the Northeast, "Made of Thunder, Made of Glass ": Spring Mariposa Afternoons Presentation: with artist and writer Gerry Biron. Peterborough, NH. Biron will share examples of beadwork and examine the historical context and currents that contributed to the emergence of “Souvenir” beadwork produced in the 19th century by the Northeast woodland tribes, including the Iroquois and Wabanaki.

May 1 - Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum opens for the Summer Season with new exhibit, “Along the River”

May 1 - Strawbery Banke Museum Opening Day for 2014 Season, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm.

Come visit the museum and experience four centuries of American life in New Hampshire's oldest waterfront neighborhood. Special additions for the 2014 season: Finding Home: Stories from A Neighborhood of Newcomers

May 3 - Canterbury Shaker Village Opening Day Heifer Parade with Food & Fiddle.
10:00 am. Free admission.Celebrate the return of the Brookford Farm cows to the Village pastures with a parade to their first spring grass. Featuring 2 Fiddles with Maypole Dancing, Outdoor Barn Dancing,  Brookford Farm Sausage Grill, and Head Wreath Making.  Self-guided exhibits open. 

May 10- 11- Native Americans at Dartmouth Pow-wow, Dartmouth College Green, Hanover NH 603-646-2110 powwow@dartmouth.edu

May 10 - Quilt Symposium: The Monadnock Center for History & Culture is collaborating with the Monadnock Quilters’ Guild to host a quilt symposium at the Monadnock Center. The symposium will feature episodes from the Kentucky Quilt Project’s Why Quilts Matter video series and keynote speaker Pam Weeks, quilt historian and curator at The New England Quilt Museum. Pam is a a state-juried member of the League of NH Craftsmen, and makes traditional and art quilts. Her most recent book, Civil War Quilts, tells the stories of 14 Civil War quilts and the women who made them. The video and keynote talk will lead us on a journey exploring both antique and contemporary quilts, seeing quilts as art as well as how quilts have been and can be viewed and collected. 

May 10 & 11 - NH Sheep & Wool Festival, Deerfield Fair Grounds Sat. 9am - 5pm, Sun. 9am - 4pm Adults - $5.00   Seniors 62 and over - $4.00 Children 12 and under – Free. There is a wide variety of presenters to help educate the public on everything sheep or wool related.  Your family can take advantage of the many activities, demonstrations, and talks on everything from sheep shearing to sheep dogs to nutrition for your sheep and raising angora rabbits for fiber use taking place throughout the weekend.  Presented by NH Sheep & Wool Growers Association.

May 17-18 - Honoring of the Elders Powwow, Tamowrth Camping Area 194 Depot Rd , Tamworth NH, 603-617-5852 honoringoftheelders@gmail.com

May 31-June 1- Committee of Sobriety Powwow: 2nd Annual Hidden Valley Pow-wow, Hidden Valley RV & Golf Camping, 81 Damren Road, Derry, NH 508-880-6887

May 31 Newmarket Heritage Festival, the award-winning Newmarket Heritage Festival, one of the Seacoast region’s most anticipated annual cultural events, will return this spring on May 31, 2014. Produced by the Newmarket Main Street Corporation, the event celebrates the arts, culture, history, and community spirit, bringing together a host of talented performers and artisans. Known as the Seacoast’s favorite international block party, the festival has gained a reputation for its eclectic mix of entertainment and activities, as well as its friendly atmosphere.

Canterbury Shaker Village now accepting applications for the 3rd annual Canterbury Artisan Festival on Saturday, September 13, 2014, 10:00 am-5:00 pm. The Festival celebrates traditional arts with a juried Artisan Craft Fair & Farmers’ Market, music, artisan food and demonstrations. First application deadline: May 16, 2014. Second application deadline: August 1, 2014. Craft Fair Categories include:Clay, Fiber/Fabric, Metal, Wood,  Jewelry, Glass, Baskets, Leather , Toys, Photography, Printmaking, Drawing, Oils, Watercolors, Acrylics, Sculpture, Multi-Media.

American Independence Festival looking for local artisans & craftsmen. We are searching out vendors that embody the creative spirit of Colonial era craftsmen and merchants. We are looking for local artisans, craftsmen and entrepreneurs to add to the atmosphere and fun of the day. The 24th Annual American Independence Festival will be held July 12, 2014, on the grounds of the American Independence Museum, on Water Street, and at Swasey Parkway. This is a family event attended by approximately 3,000 people and is filled with historic reenactments, music, Traditional Arts demonstrations, children’s activities, and more!

New Music at Fiddleheads - A Great North Woods Shoppe, 110 Main Street, Colebrook
(603) 237-9302 Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm www.fiddleheadsusa.com

Promoting the talents of local, regional and national artisans in all mediums. The fundraising CD, titled The Fireside Fiddlers, Volume 1: Common Fiddle Tunes of Coos County New Hampshire, is available, the sales of which will benefit the new Tillotson Center for performing, visual and heritage arts in Colebrook.

Workshops/ Classes

Remick Doctor & Farm Museum is offering a Painted Floor Cloth Workshop April 11 & 12. $45.00 includes materials, instruction, and refreshments.

Mariposa Museum & the NH Humanities Council offer West African Drumming Workshop for Teachers with Theo Martey April 15, 2014 3:45 p.m. - 5:45. Free! Part of the cast of the NHHC-commissioned play Dreaming Again, about immigration in NH, Theo Martey is a extraordinarily talented Ghanaian drummer and dancer, whose drumming residencies for students have been a popular offering at many NH schools. This workshop offers teachers a chance to get into the drumming action, while learning techniques for teaching percussion and West African music to students. For information, contact Terry Reeves, (603) 924-4555; education@mariposamuseum.org.

Canterbury Shaker Village has a number of Shaker Inspired Workshops

League of NH Craftsmen Classes and Workshops
Education is an essential part of the League's mission and an integral part of everything we do. We have classes, workshops, and demonstrations that are open to everyone. There are opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels. If you want to read about craft or are conducting research, visit the League's headquarters on 49 South Main Street, Suite 100, in Concord.  The Kira Fournier Library Resource Center includes more than 2000 craft-related books and periodicals, the Archives provide a wealth of information, and The Grodin Permanent Collection Museum displays a fascinating show of historical craft objects.* Please visit the League website to see class descriptions as there are classes offered in Concord, Sandwich, Littleton, Hanover, Meredith, North Conway, and Nashua

WREN Workshops & Technology Classes 921 Main Street, Berlin (603) 869-9736 http://www.wrencommunity.org At WREN, improving lives and livelihoods is not just about financial empowerment, it is also about personal enrichment. WREN members are invited to share their area of expertise with others, by offering classes and workshops on any topic of interest. Please visit WREN’s website to see a full offering of arts classes.

Guild & Artisan Meetings

Blacksmithing: New England Blacksmithing Guild: meets twice a year in NH

Rug Hooking: White Mountain Woolen Magic Rug Hooking Guild

Quilting: There are over 28 Quilting Guilds across NH. Visit the NH Quilt Guild website to find monthly meeting dates for each guild.

Woodworking: Guild of NH Woodworkers There are many subgroups of the guild of NH Woodworkers including: Beginners & Intermediate Group (BIG), Boat Builders, Period Furniture Group (PFG), Granite State Woodturners (GSWT), Granite State Luthiers, Hand Tools, Windsor Chairmaking, Woodworking as a Pro

Traditional Irish Music Sessions

   Kathleen’s Cottage Irish Pub & Restaurant, Bristol, Fridays 7pm
The Press Room, Portsmouth, Fridays 5-9pm
Salt Hill Pub, Hanover, Thursdays 6pm
Harlow’s Pub, Peterborough, Tuesdays start 7-7:30 pm
Ri-Ra Irish Restaurant And Pub, Portsmouth, Sundays 5-8pm
Mel Flanagan’s, Rochester, Fridays 7:30pm
May Kelley’s Irish Cottage, North Conway, Sundays 3:30-7pm
Salt Hill Pub & Restaurant, Lebanon, Tuesdays 6-9pm
The Shaskeen, Manchester, Saturdays 3-6pm
The Barley House, Concord, Tuesdays start 7-7:30 pm

Dances

This list is compiled from several sources including the calendars compiled by Charlie Seelig and David Millstone. Please visit their websites for more information.

April 2014

Thursday, April 3, 2014  Dance Series: Dover - NH Location: Dover Caller(s): Sarah Mason and Peter Yarensky; Band(s)/Musician(s): The Lamprey River Band;
Friday, April 4, 2014  Dance Series: Keene Location: Keene Caller(s): Brendan Taaffe;
Friday, April 4, 2014  Dance Series: Wentworth - Squares Location: Wentworth Caller(s): Adam Boyce; Band(s)/Musician(s): Adam Boyce and Sue Hunt;
Saturday, April 5, 2014  Dance Series: Deerfield - NH Location: Deerfield Caller(s): TBA;
Saturday, April 5, 2014  Dance Series: Peterborough - Play Ball Location: Peterborough Caller(s): Adina Gordon and Steve Zakon-Anderson; Band(s)/Musician(s): Notorious (Eden MacAdam-Somer, Larry Unger) w/Jeremiah McLane and Perpetual e-Motion (John Coté, Ed Howe);
Monday, April 7, 2014  Dance Series: Nelson - Monday Location: Nelson Caller(s): TBA;
Friday, April 11, 2014  Dance Series: Londonderry Location: Londonderry Caller(s): Alice Morris; Band(s)/Musician(s): Flaire Eire
Saturday, April 12, 2014  Dance Series: Exeter Location: Exeter Caller(s): TBA; Band(s)/Musician(s): Stone Soup
Saturday, Arpril 12, 2014 Norwich, VT Northern Spy. Contras, squares, occasional dances in odd formations! All dances taught! Information: Rick Barrows
Monday, April 14, 2014  Dance Series: Nelson - Monday Location: Nelson Caller(s): TBA;
Friday, April 18, 2014  Dance Series: Manchester - 3rd Friday Location: Manchester Caller(s): Gale Wood; Band(s)/Musician(s): JumpStart (Gene Albert, Nancy Fiske, Paul Lizotte, Victor Troll);
Saturday, April 19, 2014  Dance Series: Albany - NH Location: Albany Caller(s): TBA;
Saturday, April 19, 2014  Dance Series: Concord - NH Location: Concord Caller(s): TBA; Band(s)/Musician(s): The Dorsey-Parrott PIck-Ups;
Sunday, April 20, 2014 English Country Dance, Venue: Dublin Town Hall,1120 Main Street, Dublin, NH, Musicians: Allison Aldrich Smith with Aldo Fabrizi and Karen Axelrod Time: 2:00 - 5:00 PM. Admission: $10 Phone: (603) 209-3304 Email: animaterra321@gmail.com
Monday, April 21, 2014  Dance Series: Nelson - Monday Location: Nelson Caller(s): TBA;
Friday, April 25, 2014  Dance Series: Milford - NH Location: Milford Caller(s): Open mic ; Band(s)/Musician(s): Milford Town Hall Band; Note: Sit-in musicians welcome
Saturday, April 26, 2014  Dance Series: Ossipee - 4th Saturday Location: Ossipee Caller(s): TBA; Band(s)/Musician(s): Puckerbrush;
Monday, April 28, 2014  Dance Series: Nelson - Monday Location: Nelson Caller(s): TBA; Band(s)/Musician(s): TBA

May 2014

Thursday, May 1, 2014  Dance Series: Dover - NH Location: Dover Caller(s): Sarah Mason and Peter Yarensky; Band(s)/Musician(s): The Lamprey River Band;
Friday, May 2, 2014  Dance Series: Keene Location: Keene Caller(s): TBA; Band(sTBA:
Friday, May 2, 2014  Dance Series: Wentworth - Squares Location: Wentworth Caller(s): Adam Boyce; Band(s)/Musician(s): Adam Boyce and Sue Hunt;
Saturday, May 3, 2014  Dance Series: Deerfield - NH Location: Deerfield Caller(s): TBA;
Saturday, May 3, 2014  Dance Series: Peterborough - 1st Saturday Location: Peterborough Caller(s): TBA; Band(s)/Musician(s): TBA; Note: The regular 1st Saturday dance will be part of a series of events honoring Bob McQuillen; Admission is free, donations welcome to the Monadnock Folklore Society; 7pm to 11pm
Monday, May 5, 2014  Dance Series: Nelson - Monday Location: Nelson Caller(s): TBA; Band(s)/Musician(s): TBA; Note: Location: Dance moved to Peterborough Community Center
Friday, May 9, 2014  Dance Series: Londonderry Location: Londonderry Caller(s): Alice Morris; Band(s)/: Old Favorite (John Carew, Burt Feintuch, Emery Hutchins, Sarah Hydorn, Bill Zecker);
Saturday, May 10, 2014  Dance Series: Exeter Location: Exeter Caller(s): TBA; Band(s)/Musician(s): Stone Soup;
Monday, May 12, 2014  Dance Series: Nelson - Monday Location: Nelson Caller(s): TBA; Band(s)/Musician(s): TBA; Note: Location: Dance moved to Peterborough Community Center
Saturday, May 17, 2014  Dance Series: Albany - NH Location: Albany Caller(s):
Saturday, May 17, 2014  Dance Series: Concord - NH Location: Concord Caller(s): Byron Ricker; Band(s)/Musician(s): Gypsy Minor; Note:
Monday, May 19, 2014  Dance Series: Peterborough - Monday Location: Petersborough Caller(s): TBA; Band(s)/Musician(s): TBA; Note: The Nelson Monday dance moves to Peterborough
Friday, May 23, 2014  Dance Series: Milford - NH Location: Milford Caller(s): Open mic ; Band(s)/Musician(s): Milford Town Hall Band; Note: Sit-in musicians welcome
Monday, May 26, 2014  Dance Series: Peterborough - Monday Location: Petersborough Caller(s): TBA; Band(s)/Musician(s): TBA; Note: The Nelson Monday dance moves to Peterborough
Friday, May 30, 2014  Dance Series: Newfound Lake - Floating Bridge Music Camp Location: Newfound Lake Caller(s): No dance listed ; Band(s)/Musician(s): Rachel Aucoin,, Eric Favreau, Jeremiah McLane and TBA; Note: Weekend music camp; no dancing listed; register in advance; event ends on June 1, 2014

Concerts & Performances

NH Fiddle Ensemble: The Ensemble has grown this year to over 50 musicians ages 8 to 80. All have been practicing in groups throughout the state since December. These are truly community performances with local doctors, teachers, veterinarians, retired firefighters, excavators, and others participating along with professional musicians in the concerts. Questions: 603-661-1981 or email fiddleheads_nh@yahoo.com .

Exeter: April 11 (Friday) at 7:30pm, Exeter Town Hall, 7 Front St., Exeter, NH 03833 Benefits Womenade of Greater Squamscott, Tickets: $6 for children, $12 for adults (advance tickets for this show may be purchased at Exeter Music at $4 for children and $10 for adults with a $30 family maximum.)

Conway: April 12 (Sat.) 7:00pm, Salyards Ctr. for the Arts, 110 Main Street, Conway, NH 03818 

Benefits Mountain Top Music, Tickets: $5 for children $10 for adults ($25 family maximum)

Franklin: April 13 (Sun.) 2:00pm, Franklin Opera House, 316 Central St., Franklin, NH 03235

Benefits The Franklin Opera House, Tickets: $6 for children, $12 for adults. Tickets are available in advance by calling 603-934-1901 or online by visiting www.franklinoperahouse.org 

Friday-Sunday April 11-13 David Surette at  Mandolin Camp North, Prindle Pond Conference Center, Charlton MA .This is a great weekend for all you mando players out there. Great lineup of instructors, loads of classes, and lots of late-night jamming, too. 

Sunday, April 12 & May 25 The Strathspey and Reel Society of New Hampshire, the Granite State's oldest Scottish music organization, meets on the last Sunday of every month from September to June at the Concord Community Music School in Concord. These Gatherings start at 1:00 and typically feature a workshop on some aspect of Scottish music playing or arranging until 3:00. Then, after a 20-minute tea break, members and guests jam until 5:00. Everyone is welcome to attend a Gathering to play along or just to listen. Best of all it's free! Visit http://www.srsnh.org to learn more about having fun with Scottish music.

Saturday, April 19, 2014 Hot Flannel featuring Patrick Ross presented by the North Woods Committee for the Arts, Colebrook, Tillotson Center for the Arts

Saturday, April 19 David Surette & Susie Burke at Easton, NH House concert. Call 603-823-7061 to reserve and for directions, or email for more info brendashannonadam@me.com

Wednesday, April 23 2014 7:30pm Gaelic Ceilidh and live performances. Fiddler Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki will be joined by an all-star team of musicians and youthful dancers from NH's Murray Irish Dance Academy present a Ceilidh -- an evening of traditional Celtic tunes, songs, stories, and dance.

All Walker Lecture Fund events are FREE and open to all. General Seating. No tickets or reservations, first come first seated. Doors open at 7:00pm. Intermission Reception provided by the Audi Cookie Bakers. For info call 225-6497

Sunday, April 27th - 2 pm International Celtic Festival Tour: An Irish, Scottish & Acadian Celebration! Featuring Richard Wood, Cynthia MacLeod, Gordon Belsher & Caroline Bernard. St.Kieran Community Center for the Arts, Berlin, NH

Sunday, May 4th - 2 pm R. P. HALE, Master Harpsichordist. Performing a special concert of Early Mexican music & other selections. St.Kieran Community Center for the Arts, Berlin, NH

Thursday, May 22, 7pm The Strathspey and Reel Society of New Hampshire, the Granite State's oldest Scottish music organization, to play at the Portsmouth Public Library. Visit http://www.srsnh.org to learn more.

Resources & Opportunities

The National Museum of the Native American has many free videos and webinars on Native American history and contemporary culture that can be viewed live from their website.

The Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage has many folklife lesson plans and tools for teaching and sharing folk arts and music in the classroom.

Canterbury Shaker Village seeks submissions for upcoming exhibit: Shaker Traditions, Contemporary Translations.

Creative Ground spotlights the rich range of creative people and places at work in the six New England states. This online directory includes profiles for cultural nonprofits like libraries and theaters, creative businesses like recording studios and design agencies, and artists of all disciplines such as performing arts, visual arts, and crafts. But the best way to get to know CreativeGround is to use it! You can:

•Get Listed by creating a new user account and profile, or updating an existing profile

•Use the Search and Explore features to browse the many profiles already on the site

•Find out more ways to support CreativeGround on and offline by clicking Get Involved


Humanities to Go Lectures with a focus on Cultural Heritage
Humanities to Go is the Humanities Council's speakers bureau bringing more than 200 humanities programs to non-profit and community organizations throughout New Hampshire. Below you will find events related to NH History and Traditional Arts. You can see a full list of their events on their website.

Top of Form Thursday April 10, 2014   1:00 PM *This event is also taking place on April 23 in Sandown & May 20 in Stratham. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events A Night of Music with Two Old Friends   Contact: Lee Arthur - Rye Recreation Department   964-6281    Over the centuries immigrants from the British Isles have come to the Americas bringing with them their musical styles and tastes as well as their instruments. With the concertina, bodhran, mandolin, octave mandolin, guitar, and banjo, Emery Hutchins and Jim Prendergast sing and play this traditional Celtic music, but they also perform American country music in the way it was conceived in the early twentieth century. Through stories, songs and instrumental melodies, they demonstrate how old time American mountain tunes are often derived directly from the songs of the Irish, yet are influenced by other cultural groups to create a new American sound. Location: Rye Congregational Church, 580 Washington Rd., Rye    7:00 PM 12,000 Years Ago in the Granite State *This event is also taking place on May 21 in Peterborough. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events   Contact: Jaffrey Civic Center   532-6527    The native Abenaki people played a central role in the history of the Monadnock region, defending it against English settlement and forcing the abandonment of Keene and other Monadnock area towns during the French and Indian Wars. Despite this, little is known about the Abenaki, and conventional histories often depict the first Europeans entering an untamed, uninhabited wilderness, rather than the homeland of people who had been there for hundreds of generations. Robert Goodby discusses how the real depth of Native history was revealed when an archaeological study prior to construction of the new Keene Middle School discovered traces of four structures dating to the end of the Ice Age. Location: Jaffrey Civic Center, 40 Main St., Jaffrey    7:00 PM Pretty Halcyon Days, on the Beach with Ogden Nash   Contact: Amy Markus   525-4411    Ogden Nash and his family spent their summers on Little Boar's Head, in North Hampton, NH. Using examples from their original stage work, "Home is Heaven," Pontine Theatre explores the ways in which Nash's life on the New Hampshire seashore influenced his poems, giving the reader insight into the man, his character, and his ideas about family, society, and nature. THIS EVENT IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE NH STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS AND THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS. Location: Hancock Town Library, 25 Main St., Hancock    7:00 PM Saving the Mountains: NH & the Creation of the National Forests   *This event is also taking place on April 12 in Unity, NH. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events Contact: Donna Denniston   496-5462    New Hampshire's White Mountains played a leading role in events leading to the Weeks Act, the law that created the eastern national forests. Focusing on Concord's Joseph B. Walker and the Forest Society's Philip Ayres, Marcia Schmidt Blaine explores the relationship between our mountains and the economic, environmental and aesthetic questions posed by the individuals involved in the creation of the National Forest. Location: Springfield Town Meetinghouse, 23 Four Corners Rd., Springfield    7:00 PM The Ballad Lives! *This event is also taking place on May 2 in Chichester, NH. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events   Contact: North Hampton Public Library   964-6326    Murder and mayhem, robbery and rapine, love that cuts to the bone: American ballads re-tell the wrenching themes of their English and Scottish cousins. Transplanted in the new world by old world immigrants, the traditional story-song of the Anglos and Scots wound up reinvigorated in the mountains of Appalachia and along the Canadian border. John Perrault talks, sings, and picks the strings that bind the old ballads to the new. Location: North Hampton Public Library, 237A Atlantic Ave., North Hampton    7:00 PM Town by Town, Watershed by Watershed: Native Americans in NH   Contact: Jennifer Mika   724-1326    Every town and watershed in New Hampshire has ancient and continuing Native American history. From the recent, late 20th century explosion of local Native population in New Hampshire back to the era of early settlement and the colonial wars, John and Donna Moody explore the history of New Hampshire's Abenaki and Penacook peoples with a focus on your local community. Location: Pittsfield Historical Society, 13 Elm St., Pittsfield Monday April 14, 2014    1:00 PM *This event is also taking place on April 15 in Concord. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events Imperial Russian Fabergé Eggs   Contact: Samantha Simpson   516-8826    This illustrated presentation by Marina Forbes focuses on the life and remarkable work of Russian master jeweler and artist, Peter Carl Fabergé. The program features a photo-tour of Fabergé collections at the Constantine Palace in St. Petersburg and from major museums and private collectors around the world. Explore the important role of egg painting in Russian culture and the development of this major Russian art form from a traditional craft to the level of exquisite fine art under the patronage of the tsars. Location: Wentworth Home, 795 Central Ave., Dover Tuesday April 15, 2014    7:00 PM A Walk Back in Time: The Secrets of Cellar Holes *This event is also taking place on April 24 in New Hampton; May 13 in Hill; May 14 in Alstead; May 19 in Goffstown; May 22 in Chichester. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events   Contact: Paul Memorial Library   778-8169    Northern New England is full of reminders of past lives: stone walls, old foundations, a century-old lilac struggling to survive as the forest reclaims a once-sunny dooryard. What forces shaped settlement, and later abandonment, of these places? Adair Mulligan explores the rich story to be discovered in what remains behind. See how one town has set out to create an inventory of its cellar holes, piecing together the clues in the landscape. Such a project can help landowners know what to do if they have archaeological sites on their land and help stimulate interest in a town's future through its past. Location: Paul Memorial Library, 76 Main St., Newfields Wednesday April 16, 2014    7:00 PM Old Time Rules Will Prevail: The Fiddle Contest in New Hampshire and New England   Contact: Sally Woodman   382-7574    Fiddle contests evolved from endurance marathons to playing a set number of tunes judged by certain specific criteria. Whether large or small, fiddle contests tried to show who was the "best," as well as preserve old-time fiddling and raise money for local organizations. In recent years, the fiddle contest has declined significantly in New England due to cultural changes and financial viability. The greatest legacies of these contests were recordings made during live competition. A sampling of these tunes is played during the presentation, as well as some live fiddling by the presenter, Adam Boyce. Location: Newton Town Hall, 2 Town Hall Rd., Newton Friday April 18, 2014    7:00 PM That Reminds Me of a Story *This event is also taking place on April 23 in Litchfield, & May 7 in Meredith. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events   Contact: Sheila Jones   539-4071    Stories speak to us of community. They hold our history and reflect our identity. Rebecca Rule has made it her mission over the last 20 years to collect stories of New Hampshire, especially those that reflect what's special about this rocky old place. She'll tell some of those stories - her favorites are the funny ones - and invite audience members to contribute a few stories of their own. Saturday April 19, 2014    1:00 PM Harnessing History: On the Trail of New Hampshire's State Dog, the Chinook *This event is also taking place on May 22 in Hollis. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events   Contact: Veronica Mueller   764-9072    This program looks at how dog sledding developed in New Hampshire and how the Chinook played a major role in this story. Explaining how man and his relationship with dogs won out over machines on several famous polar expeditions, Bob Cottrell covers the history of Arthur Walden and his Chinooks, the State Dog of New Hampshire. Inquire whether the speaker's dog will accompany him. Location: Joseph Patch Library, 320 NH Rte. 25, Warren Tuesday April 22, 2014    6:30 PM Music in my Pockets: Family Fun in Folk Music   Contact: Robin Sweetser   464-3595    Singing games, accessible "pocket instruments" like spoons and dancing puppets, tall tales, funny songs, old songs and songs kids teach each other in the playground are all traditional in that they have been passed down the generations by word of mouth. They will all be seen, heard and learned as Jeff Warner visits 1850 or 1910 in a New England town, with families gathered around the figurative hearth, participating in timeless, hearty entertainment and, almost without the audience knowing it, teaches how America amused itself before electricity. Location: Fuller Public Library, 29 School St., Hillsboro Wednesday April 23, 2014    2:00 PM Made of Thunder, Made of Glass: American Indian Beadwork of the Northeast   Contact: Mose Olenik   924-4555    A long neglected and misunderstood area of American Indian art has been the "souvenir" beadwork produced by the Northeast woodland tribes. Not everyone is aware of the historical context and currents that contributed to the emergence of this type of American Indian artistry. Gerry Biron examines 19th century work produced by the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) from upstate New York and eastern Canada, to the Wabanaki in northern New England and the Canadian Maritime Provinces. Additionally, Biron surveys the close relationship beadworking had with two other cultural phenomena: the rise of tourism in the Northeast and the fashion industry. Friday April 25, 2014    7:00 PM Banjos, Bones, and Ballads   Contact: Daniel Murphy   347-1723    Traditional songs, rich in local history and a sense of place, present the latest news from the distant past. They help us to interpret present-day life with an understanding of the working people who built our country. Tavern songs, banjo tunes, 18th century New England hymns, sailor songs, and humorous stories about traditional singers and their songs highlight this informative program by Jeff Warner. Location: Concord Comfort Inn, 71 Hall St., Concord Monday April 28, 2014    8:00 PM Rally Round the Flag: The American Civil War Through Folksong   Contact: Jim McLaughlin   456-3677    Woody Pringle and Marek Bennett present an overview of the American Civil War through the lens of period music. Audience members participate and sing along as the presenters explore lyrics, documents, and visual images from sources such as the Library of Congress. Through camp songs, parlor music, hymns, battlefield rallying cries, and fiddle tunes, Pringle and Bennett examine the folksong as a means to enact living history, share perspectives, influence public perceptions of events, and simultaneously fuse and conserve cultures in times of change. Showcasing numerous instruments, the presenters challenge participants to find new connections between song, art, and politics in American history. THIS EVENT IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE NH STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS AND THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS. Location: Warner Town Hall, 5 East Main St., Warner Wednesday April 30, 2014    7:00 PM Baked Beans and Fried Clams: How Food Defines A Region *This event is also taking place on May 7 in Merrimack, NH. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events   Contact: Daland Memorial Library   673-7888    Baked Beans, fried clams, fish chowder, Indian pudding - so many foods are distinctive to New England. This talk offers a celebration of these regional favorites along with an examination of how contemporary life has distanced us from these classics. What makes them special and how do these foods define our region? Edie Clark draws from such diverse resources as Fannie Farmer, Julia Child, and Haydn S. Pearson for enlightenment and amusement as well as on her own experiences, writing and traveling for Yankee magazine over the past thirty years to places where baked beans are still featured prominently on the menu. Location: Mont Vernon Congregational Church, 4 South Main St., Mont Vernon    7:00 PM Family Stories: How and Why to Remember and Tell Them *This event is also taking place on May 1 in Melvin Village, NH. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events   Contact: Donna Dunlop   746-3663    Telling personal and family stories is fun - and much more. Storytelling connects strangers, strengthens links between generations, and gives children the self-knowledge to carry them through hard times. Knowledge of family history has even been linked to better teen behavior and mental health. In this active and interactive program, storyteller Jo Radner shares foolproof ways to mine memories and interview relatives for meaningful stories. Participants practices finding, developing, and telling their own tales. Location: Hopkinton Town Library, 61 Houston Dr., Contoocook Thursday May 8, 2014    7:00 PM A Sound Track for The Great Gatsby: Music of the Jazz Age   Contact: Kim Hanson   493-4749    The Great Gatsby, set in 1922 and soon a major motion picture, coincided with the very early days of jazz recording, a seminal time in American music. Paul Combs will examine the lives and music of artists recorded through the summer of 1922, including James Reese Europe, Fletcher Henderson, and Paul Whiteman, as well as some of those who, while active prior to the time of the novel, did not record until 1923-25, such as Jelly Roll Morton, Joe "King" Oliver, and Ma Rainey. Location: Dover Adult Learning Center - McConnell Ctr., 61 Locust St - Door 3, Dover Tuesday May 13, 2014    7:00 PM Contra Dancing In New Hampshire: Then and Now   Contact: Gordon DuBois   279-0379    Since the late 1600s, the lively tradition of contra dancing has kept people of all ages swinging and sashaying in barns, town halls and schools around the state. Contra dancing came to New Hampshire by way of the English colonists and remains popular in many communities, particularly in the Monadnock Region. Presenter Dudley Laufman brings this tradition to life with stories, poems and recordings of callers, musicians, and dancers, past and present. Live music, always integral to this dance form, will be played on the fiddle and melodeon. Willing audience members may be invited to dance the Virginia Reel! Location: New Hampton Town House, Town House Rd., New Hampton    7:00 PM The Guitar and the Devil: Music, Magic, and Ritual Among Ecuadorian Indians *This event is also taking place on May 28 in Francestown, NH. Please visit the Humanities Council Website for a full list of events   Contact: Susan LeClair   783-4386    Music and ritual belief in supernatural forces play key roles in the eight-day festivities associated with the summer solstice and annual corn harvest in Ecuador. For example, the guitarist makes a pact with the "diablito" in order to gain strength to play and dance without tiring. This program, illustrated with slides, recordings, and live performance by Jose Lezcano, explores the connections among ritual, music, and the supernatural, especially among indigenous Andean peoples. Location: Elkins Public Library, 9 Center Road, Canterbury Friday May 16, 2014    7:00 PM Angling in the Smile of the Great Spirit   Contact: Christine Fogg   524-8268    Anyone who ever posted a Gone Fishin' sign on the door during business hours will appreciate this native fisherman's glimpse in to the habits, rituals, and lore of some of the more colorful members of the not-so-exclusive "Liars' Club." Hal Lyon shares tales, secrets, folklore, and history of fishing in New Hampshire's big lakes -- especially Lake Winnipesaukee which translates into "Smile of the Great Spirit." Location: Corner Meeting House, Corner of Fuller & Sargent Sts., Belmont Tuesday May 20, 2014    6:30 PM Covered Bridges of New Hampshire   Contact: Jessica Sheehan   497-2102    Covered wooden bridges have been a vital part of the NH transportation network, dating back to the early 1800s. Given NH's myriad streams, brooks, and rivers, it's unsurprising that 400 covered bridges have been documented. Often viewed as quaint relics of a simpler past, they were technological marvels of their day. It may be native ingenuity and NH's woodworking tradition that account for the fact that a number of nationally-noted covered bridge truss designers were NH natives. Glenn Knoblock discusses covered bridge design and technology, and their designers, builders, and associated folklore. Location: Goffstown Public Library, 2 High St., Goffstown Sunday May 25, 2014    3:00 PM Cannon Shenanigans and New Hampshire's Muster Day Tradition   Contact: Don Brown   887-3842    New Hampshire's Muster Day tradition ended in 1850, as did some of the related localized rivalries that involved the stealing of cannons. Muster Day was a day of drills, marching, and sham battles for local militias in NH. This spectator event was accompanied by entertainers, vendors, gamblers, and a great deal of alcohol. Throughout 19th century NH, demand for cannons for Fourth of July, election celebrations, demonstrations of civic pride, and for the sheer cussedness of making noise, often exceeded supply. Various town and regional rivalries sprang up over the possession of particular cannons and were constant headaches for local authorities. Jack Noon will explore the vestiges of this tradition that survived well into the 20th century. Location: Stevens Memorial Hall (Chester Town Hall), Jct NH 121 & NH 102, Chester Bottom of Form