Mbaya Patrick Kasongo, Congolese Musician

Anna Mizerack Paracka, Slovak Community Historian

Shaman Awan, Pakistani Harmonium Player

Felix and Zorkie Nelson, Ghanaian drumming and dance

OUR MISSION

The Mission of New York Folklore is to encourage and amplify the diverse folk cultural expressions of New York and of all its residents through education, support, and outreach.

New York Folklore works actively towards principles of equity and inclusion. Read our blog here:

New York Folklore, Equity, and the Black Lives Matter Movement

New York Folklore issues this statement addressing the January 6, 2021 violence at the US Capitol

New York Folklore condemns the post-election mob and white supremacist attack on the U.S. Capitol that took place on January 6, 2021. Like many, we are outraged and saddened by the assault. While the events of January 6 have been presented by some as legitimate political speech and action, they were preceded and followed by a torrent of overt calls to violence, and an indefensible display of antisemitic and racist symbols of hate in the heart of our nation.

Tolerance of racist symbols, the use of violence to effect political change, and the normalization of violent rhetoric undermines the cultural understanding and civil discourse to which New York Folklore is wholeheartedly committed.

The United States has a checkered history that has encouraged, pursued, and enforced the systemic exclusion and marginalization of many of its own communities. Anti-black, anti-immigrant, and anti-Indigenous ideologies have been normalized as part of our country’s narrative, and violence has been perpetuated against multiple populations of indigenous, Black, Latino, Asian, and immigrant peoples throughout American history, including the Rock Springs Massacre (1885), the Tulsa Race Massacre (1921), the Charleston Church shooting (2015), and more.

Since 1944, New York Folklore has been dedicated to the proposition that there is value in the cultural expression of all communities in our state and has worked diligently to celebrate and understand that expression as a representation of hope, dreams, and values. As an organization, we recognize the intersection and confluence of systemic ethnic, social, economic, and other inequities in our communities, as we continue our efforts towards promoting equity and the furtherance of cultural understanding and respect.

After the Storms: 10 Years and 36,000+ Volunteers Later

When: Opens August 28, 2021; Opening Reception from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Where: Schoharie River Center’s Cultural Hall, 2047 Burtonville Road, Esperance, NY 12066

After the Storms: 10 Years and 36,000+ Volunteers Later is a multi-media exhibit developed to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the flooding of the Schoharie basin caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical storm Lee in 2011, and to recognize the volunteers who made recovery possible for the residents and business owners. The multi-media exhibit of audio and video stories, photographs, and text, will open at the Schoharie River Center at 2031 Burtonville Road, Esperance on Saturday, August 28, with an opening reception to take place that day from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m., for which the public is invited. The exhibit will be on view weekends throughout September in the Schoharie River Center’s Cultural Hall.

Angels and Icons

Greek Orthodox Iconography by Efthimios Stoja

When: Opens April 16 through October 15, 2021.

Where: New York Folklore Shop & Gallery, 129 Jay Street, Schenectady NY

Efthimios (Altin) Stoja is an iconographer and visual artist. First inspired by ancient frescoes that decorated the church walls in his father’s Albanian village, Altin trained under master artist Tsuni Spilio in Nea Makri, Greece, the native country of Altin’s mother, before opening his own studio. He later moved to the U.S. where he continues to work fulltime as an iconographer. His iconography (in the Macedonian tradition -which shows movement and facial expressions) can be found within Albany-area Orthodox Churches, such as St. Nicholas Church in Cohoes and St. Sophia Church in Albany. His non-religious pieces can be seen within public venues, such as in the recent (Dec 2020) Albany Center Gallery’s Member show. In his paintings, Altin often draws inspiration from the natural landscapes of the Capital Region.