Great Lakes Folk Festival - Programs & Activities

Joseph Ettawageshik (b.1979), a member of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa, grew up in a family of potters. At the age of 4 he was already working with clay. When he was about 8 years of age, he began to learn to make Woodland Indian pottery from his father, Frank Ettawageshik, who is almost single-handedly responsible for the resurgence of this pottery in Michigan. For over 3,000 years, people in the Great Lakes area made clay pots for cooking, ceremonies, and storage. This tradition ceased long ago and living memory of how it was made no longer existed when Frank, intent on reviving this pottery and teaching others of his tribe, set out to learn to replicate this once important tradition. Through research and his knowledge as a potter, he succeeded in making pottery as close to that of his ancestors as possible. Frank passed on this knowledge to his son Joseph formally in 2001 with a Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship.

With permission of property owners, Joseph and Frank comb the northern Michigan woods gathering poplar wood, clay, granite, basswood, dried grasses, leaves and pine needles. While the other materials are common to most northern places, the clay is very special and thus its location kept secret. To honor the balance between taking and giving, when taking materials from Mother Earth, they always give something back to her, usually in the form of tobacco. They grind the granite, already so old it easily crumbles, into sand-like particles and mix it with clay. With knotted vines and roots, they make designs and use their fingers to smooth pots to an even thickness. They do not use modern tools and devices. Joseph’s and Frank’s “kiln” is a hole in the ground over which they build a fire.

Originally Woodland Indian pots were functional and Joseph and Frank have tested theirs by cooking soup and boiling down maple syrup to sugar in them. Today, however, these pots primarily serve a ritual purpose in ceremonies, often as smudge bowls. They also serve as a decorative piece in their homes.

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Richard Keller, quill work artist
Harbor Springs

Richard Keller discussing quill box making

"A Rich Lesson in History" - video

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Richard Keller (b. 1959), a member of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa, is a traditional quill worker. He learned the art of making porcupine-quill-decorated birch bark boxes from his parents, Walter and Marcella Keller. Although he helped them, he doesn't recall making a box by himself until he was 15. Some of his fondest memories are watching his parents, older brothers, and grandmother pulling quills, collecting bark, and gathering sweet grass.

When Keller was 34 and a tree trimmer by trade, he began to make boxes in earnest, gathering all the supplies in the woods and marshes. Most of his designs are based on pictures or natural objects, but some designs simply spring from his imagination. He makes as many as 60 quill boxes a year. He sells to individual collectors, gift shops, museum stores, and to American Spoon Foods, an international company based in Petoskey. In addition to making quill boxes, Keller enjoys hunting, trapping, carving antler bone, making drums, and tanning hides. As a recipient of a Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship award in 1997, 1998, and 1999, he has passed on his quill box making knowledge to other tribal members, and he has demonstrated his traditional skills at a number of events, including the Festival of Michigan Folklife.

Wilho Kilpela, Finnish-style accordion player
Marquette

(photo by Mary Whalen)

The western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the region surrounding western Lake Superior, has the largest concentration of people of Finnish descent in the United States, and Finnish American music has been and continues to be a prominent component of the region's cultural life.Wilho Kilpela (b. 1935) was raised on a small farm in a Finnish community near Aura, Michigan.

As a nine-year-old he was already singing popular tunes to crowds at the Aura Hall. When his sister gave up on her accordion, Wil, who had a good ear, took it up, practicing on it relentlessly. Although his father played a few tunes on the accordion, Wil actually picked up styling and tunes by hanging around and playing with local musicians and listening closely to musicians who traveled through, such as Viola Turpeinen, the famous Finnish-American accordionist, who provided him great inspiration. He also credits other musical greats, such as the polka virtuoso Frank Yankovic, as having influence on his playing. He has been playing steadily since age 15 and especially since his retirement as a civil engineer. He favors Finnish tunes and is a very skilled player, able to perform rapid-fire polkas and mournful minor key waltzes with precision and feeling. Wil sometimes plays by himself but more often in a small combo or with a full band.

In 2002 and 2003 Wilho received a Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship to mentor the Finnish-American vocalist Tanya Stanaway. Their apprenticeship has had a positive affect on the Finnish American scene in the Upper Peninsula. Wil demonstrated the Finnish-style accordion and Finnish-American music at the 2003 Great Lakes Folk Festival.

D.J. Krogol, Great Highland Bagpiper

Lansing

"It's Been Bagpipes All His Life" - video

D.J. (b. 1949) grew up in an environment where the pipes were always played at family get-togethers. He began to play the Great Highland bagpipes at age seven when he joined the St. Andrews Junior Pipe Band, sponsored by the St. Andrews Society in Detroit. He continued his study during his youth with noted piper Walter Rose. From this beginning, he has become a master piper and committed to the preservation of the traditional music of the Scottish pipes.

D.J. has shared bagpipes, which he regards an essential element of Scottish culture, through many venues, playing at weddings, funerals, christenings, and anniversaries throughout the Scottish-American local communities. He has been his clan's piper since the age of ten, playing for clan reunions and other gatherings.

A committed performer with a firm and consistent command of the instrument's technique, D.J.'s virtuosity and skill are revealed in his mastery of more than 80 difficult grace note combinations. Few pipers have reached D.J.'s level of proficiency. In addition, he is a dedicated teacher. Instruction on bagpipes remains primarily an oral tradition, passed on from master to pupil. Beginning at age 20, D.J. actively engaged students and reached out to community groups across Michigan. In 1995 and 2002 he was awarded Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grants to further this tradition in Michigan. In 1995, D.J. was honored with a Michigan Heritage Award for his skill as a Great Highland bagpiper and his dedication to the preservation of this musical form through performances and other teaching opportunities. D.J and apprentice, Derek Spencer, demonstrated bagpipes at the 2003 Great Lakes Folk Festival.

Fr. Czeslaw Krysa, Pisanki (Polish egg writer)

Orchard Lake

Photo by Al Kamuda

Fr. Czeslaw Krysa (b. 1954) is a skilled practitioner of pisanki, the wax-resist technique of "writing" Polish Easter eggs, and he is recognized and respected as an exceptional artist.

Fr. Krysa learned the batik method of egg ornamentation from his father. Each year his father would decorate eggs on the Friday and Saturday before Easter and tell and retell stories of his Aunt Stanislawa Paul in Poland, who annually made more than 60 pisanki to give to friends and neighbors.As a young man Fr. Krysa traveled with his father to Poland and was inspired to learn as much as he could about the traditions and designs related to pisanki. Since that memorable trip, he has dedicated himself to teaching and sharing his knowledge and skills with members of the Polish-American community.

In 1993 Fr. Krysa received a Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship to teach pisanki to Catherine Gyzywaca. He worked with apprentice Susan Tipton to broaden her skills and knowledge regarding pisanki. Fr. Krysa's efforts have reinforced and revitalized Polish American traditions and inspired pride in Polish heritage. In 1994 Fr. Krysa was honored with a Michigan Heritage Award as an outstanding bearer of Polish-American traditions, a promoter of traditional Polish art, and a cultural leader in the Polish-American community.

Both Fr. Krysa and Susan demonstrated their work and talked about their apprenticeship at the 2003 Great Lakes Folk Festival.

Lorri Oikarinen, rug braider
Calumet

"Importance of

Apprenticeship" - video

Lorri Oikarinen (b. 1955, nee Baron) has a life-long interest in traditional home arts and textiles. She is an energetic, talented textile artist with specializations in quilt making, rag rug and other weaving, braided 5- and 7-strand carpets, and spinning. She has a degree from Michigan State University in clothing and textiles and has taught quilting through a variety of local programs. Lorri is active in local historical preservation efforts, which includes learning and passing on local traditions to insure their viability for future generations.

"About Lorri's Mentor" - video

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In 1990 and 1993, Lorri apprenticed with one of theforemost Finnish-American tradition bearers, Anna Lassila, whose braided rugs are legendary. Anna taught Lorri to braid 5- and 7-strand carpets, using fabric from old woolen coats

In the intended spirit of the Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program, Lorri has since mentored several local women in the art of braided carpets, passing on the knowledge and skills she acquired from Anna. In 2000 and 2001, she taught her apprentices Carol Saari, Vivian Huotari, and Cynthia Miller. Both Vivian and Cynthia are relatives of Anna, who passed away before they were able to learn enough about making rugs from her. Lorri, fortunately, is committed to sharing Anna's legacy.

Carol and Vivian discuss a rag rug Vivian Huotari and Carol Saari braid a rug

"Differing Rug Making Techniques" - video

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Lorri and Anna demonstrated rug braiding at the 1993 Festival of Michigan Folklife and rag rug braiding and weaving at the 1996 FinnFest, the annual international gathering of Finns from Finland and Finnish Americans. Lorri with her apprentices, Carol Saari and Vivian Huotari along with Anna, demonstrated at the Midwest Rural Arts and Culture forum in 2000. At the 2003 Great Lakes Folk Festival, Lorri participated again with Carol Saari and Vivian Huotari.

Ronald J. Paquin, birch bark canoe maker
Sault Ste. Marie

(Photo by Mary Whalen)

Ronald J. Paquin (b. 1942) is a proud member of the Sault Ste. Marie tribe of Chippewa Indians. He is known as a traditionalist and preserver of traditional skills. He believes he has a responsibility to teach others of his tribe about their heritage and he has devoted himself to teaching family and community members a variety of Ojibwa traditions. Besides being a gifted storyteller and noteworthy fisherman, Ron makes birch bark containers, antler and bone carvings, knives, cedar and deer hide drums, porcupine quill boxes, beadwork, black ash baskets, fishing nets, and birch bark canoes.

Canoes are important to Ojibwa history and Ron is committed to their perpetuation in Ojibwa culture. Years ago, when Ron first realized he wanted to make canoes, his uncle deemed it impractical for him because "tourists weren't interested in buying them." However, as he watched the masters of this craft die, Ron knew if he didn't learn, there wouldn't be anyone left to teach subsequent generations. He worked with family and tribal members to learn carpentry skills and the gathering and processing of materials, and he talked with elders to "learn bits and pieces." He also studied older canoes and occasionally he turned to books. By 2003 he had made some 12 canoes, about one a year. Ron often involves community youth and adults in his canoe-making projects; males do the actual building and women do the sewing. He has also made canoes in schools with students. In 2003 Ron was honored with a Michigan Heritage Award. In the same year he received a Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship with his apprentice, Cecil Pavlat, Sr., also a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, to make a birch bark canoe. Both Mr. Paquin and Mr. Pavlat participated in the 2003 Great Lakes Folk Festival.

John Perona, bones and spoon player
Calumet

(Photo by Mary Whalen)

John Perona (b. 1920) has been a farmer, laborer, custodian, and always a musician. He is regarded a virtuoso on the concertina, accordion, violin, mandolin and guitar, instruments on which he has played old-time dance music for Italians, Finns, Slovenians, and Croatians at local house parties and community dances for more than 60 years. Locals refer to him as "a one-man Yooper multiethnic festival." It is his mastery, repertoire, and performance style with bones and spoons, however, that is most widely appreciated. Randy Seppala, Johhny's apprentice on bones and spoons (2001 and 2003) said of Johnny, "He just may be the greatest bones and spoons player in the country. He is certainly a great master, playing with an intensity and technical precision unequaled by anyone I am aware of."

Johnny's introduction to the bones and spoons began in 1948. He was playing his concertina in a local tavern that a bones and spoons player often frequented, playing to the music of the jukebox and to Johnny's concertina for drinks. He showed Johnny how to hold the spoons, but fearing competition, he did not encourage Johnny to continue. Johnny, however, has mastered these instruments. Besides his apprenticeship awards to teach bones and spoons, Johnny was honored with a Michigan Heritage Award in 2002 for his bones playing. He demonstrated his skills on bones and spoons at the 2003 Great Lakes Folk Festival.

Ashoka Rao, Kathak (North Indian dance) artist
Swartz Creek

(Photo by Mary Whalen)

Ashoka Rao is a master of kathak, a traditional form of North Indian dance. She was born in Bombay, India, in 1948. At the age of four, she began instruction in dance and has worked with some of the great dance masters of India, including Guru Mahalingam Pillai in the Bharata Natyam classical dance form and Guru Lacchu Maharaj and Guru Birju Maharaj in Kathak dance. She has performed dance-dramas and recitals throughout India where she was recognized for her artistry with numerous awards. She came to Michigan in 1975 and continues to teach classical and folk dance of India to children.

While dancing kathak, the dancer recites a short composition of rhythmic syllables known as tukdas. Misconception about kathak, coupled with lack of teachers, has resulted in its near extinction in Michigan. Ashoka Rao strives to generate greater audience awareness and respect for this art form. She has regular dance students from the community who receive training to participate in her dance productions. Since 1995 Ashoka has received 5 Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship awards, during which time she and her students have successfully raised audience respect for kathak. In 2003 her apprentice, Neeta Erinjeri, participated in the Great Lakes Folk Festival, demonstrating the intricacies of this lovely art form and talking about its history.

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James Rice, saddle maker and leather worker
Hudson

"Portrait of a Saddlemaker" - video

James Rice (b. 1928) grew up in a small town where he helped to repair saddles for his horse-trading uncle. "I could fix what some of the outlaw horses tore up," he boasted. By the age of 16 he had made his first saddle. Decades later, he is still putting his "Jas. Rice" stamp on saddles prized across America for their beauty and durability.

Jim learned the saddle-making trade from Billy Ecker, a craftsman for the Henry Kellogg buggy and harness shop in Hudson many decades ago. Along the way, he was a rodeo broncobuster, shop class instructor for 30 years, barber, and farmer on 76 acres. He now has a little shop in Hudson, filling orders from around the country for saddles. Jim makes saddles in a traditional way, cutting and stitching together rawhide leather in a series of steps that takes weeks to complete. The saddles, completely of his own design, are heavily decorated with handcrafted designs.

Danielle Cole, Jim Rice's apprentice, has been working part time with Jim for several years, and Jim is enthusiastic about her work. With the recent boom in pleasure horses, there is steady business for saddle makers, and Jim is preparing Danielle to take over the business. Both Jim and Danielle talked about and demonstrated their work at the 2003 Great Lakes Folk Festival.

Patricia Shackleton, birch bark cutout artist
Haslett

(Photo by Mary Whalen)

Patricia Shackleton (b. 1951) is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She is a highly motivated and committed educator about Ojibwa and Native culture and history. She has held a variety of positions in local and state government to achieve her aim and has been an advocate for Native rights. Patricia's interest in birch bark cutouts is in keeping with her intent to preserve Native traditions.The tradition of birch bark cutouts was almost lost in regional Native cultures until relatively recently. The designs and family patterns, handed down from generation to generation, were both ornamental and teaching tools. Today birch bark cutouts are once again a highly valued viable art form. Each image has multiple meanings and the cutouts are used in various ways, for example, as a pattern for quill and bead work or a design on festive regalia clothing.

Patricia first learned the basics of birch bark cutouts as an apprentice in 1997 to Anna Hubbard of Sault Ste. Marie. Since this period she has greatly developed her skills and exhibited her cutouts at the Ojibwe Museum of Culture, St. Ignace, and has taught many, including apprentices as a recipient of the Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship award.

Anshu Varma, Meh'ndi (Henna painting) artist
Okemos

(Photo by Mary Whalen)

Anshu Varma has been described as a consummate artist who uses the body as her canvas. She was born in 1962 in north India and grew up in Calcutta and New Delhi. She has a degree in economics and works for the State of Michigan. As a child she was fascinated by the tradition of meh'ndi. She was greatly inspired by her mother's artistic creations and began to learn the tradition at home. Today she is a master of her technique.

The tradition of meh'ndi, a paste of henna used to embellish the palms, soles, and fingernails, plays an important role in maintaining cultural identity in Indian as well as other communities.

Meh'ndi is appropriate at all festive events. It is the first thing a woman puts on herself to get ready for a special occasion. Being dressed in meh'ndi sets the celebratory mood of the community. The tradition is associated especially with wedding ceremonies where in certain communities putting mehndi on the bride's palms and feet represents "dressing" the bride. Anshu is sought by many in the Indian community to do meh'ndi for them, and many a bride has been adorned by her skillful hands.

She also has demonstrated her artistry at past folklife festivals and other public events. Anshu is gratified by the enjoyment both young and old experience of having their hands adorned and she is dedicated to share the knowledge about this ancient art. She was a recipient of the Michigan Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program in 2002 and 2003, and she participated at the 2003 Great Lakes Folk Festival with her apprentice, Moushumi Mokherjee.