2008 Woodie Awards
Learn Alabama culture with AFA
Hannah Skewes
Senior Reporter
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: News
The Alabama Folklife Association III is invited educators and researchers to participate in the Alabama Community Scholars Institute, a training program designed for anyone interested in researching, documenting and presenting aspects to Alabama's traditional culture.
These traditions would include the music, food, crafts, stories, celebrations and work traditions of their own community.
The training program is nine days long and will be held at the USA Student Center from June 20 to June 28.
The Alabama Folklife Association is a statewide nonprofit organization with a purpose of promoting appreciation and knowledge of Alabama folklife. The group organizes festivals, fieldwork seminars and occasionally publishes "Tributaries," the AFA Journal.
Dr. Kern Jackson, director of African American Studies and English professor, is helping to coordinate the event along with Nick Spitzer, host of American Routes on Public Radio International and Michele Forman, a documentary filmmaker who instructs at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
"It's all interesting--you learn a lot of things you didn't know about Alabama culture, you get to spend the week with wonderful people who are interested in the same sort of things you are, you get to interview amazing people who are masters of Mobile Mardi Gras traditions like float building, costume making and playing in Mardi Gras bands," Jackson said.
According to the Web site, ACSI may be of interest to schoolteachers, college students, museum workers, festivalgoers, people involved in cultural tourism and people in general who are interested in folklore and Alabama traditions.
Participants will be trained to conduct field surveys, log and transcribe interviews, record, photograph and video tradition bearers.
Community Scholars will be studying Mobile's Mardi Gras traditions as well as other traditions such as Sacred Harp singings, fishing, hunting, traditional crafts and community celebrations.
This is the third Alabama Community Scholars Institute, the first occurring in 2004 and the second in 2006. During the nine-day training program, participants will discuss projects being worked on, document their findings and learn how to apply them.
"We expect about 20 people," said Jackson.
These traditions would include the music, food, crafts, stories, celebrations and work traditions of their own community.
The training program is nine days long and will be held at the USA Student Center from June 20 to June 28.
The Alabama Folklife Association is a statewide nonprofit organization with a purpose of promoting appreciation and knowledge of Alabama folklife. The group organizes festivals, fieldwork seminars and occasionally publishes "Tributaries," the AFA Journal.
Dr. Kern Jackson, director of African American Studies and English professor, is helping to coordinate the event along with Nick Spitzer, host of American Routes on Public Radio International and Michele Forman, a documentary filmmaker who instructs at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
"It's all interesting--you learn a lot of things you didn't know about Alabama culture, you get to spend the week with wonderful people who are interested in the same sort of things you are, you get to interview amazing people who are masters of Mobile Mardi Gras traditions like float building, costume making and playing in Mardi Gras bands," Jackson said.
According to the Web site, ACSI may be of interest to schoolteachers, college students, museum workers, festivalgoers, people involved in cultural tourism and people in general who are interested in folklore and Alabama traditions.
Participants will be trained to conduct field surveys, log and transcribe interviews, record, photograph and video tradition bearers.
Community Scholars will be studying Mobile's Mardi Gras traditions as well as other traditions such as Sacred Harp singings, fishing, hunting, traditional crafts and community celebrations.
This is the third Alabama Community Scholars Institute, the first occurring in 2004 and the second in 2006. During the nine-day training program, participants will discuss projects being worked on, document their findings and learn how to apply them.
"We expect about 20 people," said Jackson.
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