Ellen McHale

The Celebration of Pinkster in New York State

The Celebration of Pinkster in New York State

Written by guest author, Chief Baba Neil Clarke The Pinkster Festival is a very important 350-year-old, but little known, Africanized celebration which took place annually in the Hudson River Valley region, including the N.Y.C. area for almost two hundred years. ...

New York Folklore Announces its 2023 Board of Directors

New York Folklore Announces its 2023 Board of Directors

New York Folklore is governed by a Board of Directors that is drawn from the membership. Membership in the Board of Directors reflects the diversity and geography of New York State. A term of service on the board is two years. An individual can serve for three terms...

New York Folklore Announces increased Access to Publications

New York Folklore Announces increased Access to Publications

New York Folklore is pleased to announce that its website, https://www.nyfolklore.org, now provides increased access to back issues of its publication, Voices: the Journal of New York Folklore. Founded as the New York Folklore Society in 1944, the organization quickly...

Artist Spotlight: Devesh Chandra

Artist Spotlight: Devesh Chandra

DEVESH CHANDRA has been learning the Tabla since the age of 3. He learned Indian Classical Music by accompanying his mother, renowned Sitar exponent Veena Chandra and he continues to perform with her.  Their mother and son duo has received national and international...

Artist Spotlight: Helen Condon

Artist Spotlight: Helen Condon

Helen Condon learned the art of rag rug braiding over fifty years ago from her grandmother, Sarah Campbell Taylor, who taught her how to make braided rugs using discarded, wool clothing. Using the skills in braiding and matching colors learned at thirteen years old,...

Artist Spotlight: Zorkie Nelson

Artist Spotlight: Zorkie Nelson

                               ZORKIE NELSON is a master percussionist, traditional flute player and vocalist specializing in the Ga cultural tradition. Born into a family of musicians in the West African city of Accra, Ghana, Zorkie has studied music since the age of...

Artist Spotlight: Noah Khoury

Artist Spotlight: Noah Khoury

Noah Khoury is  a second generation blacksmith, as his father was a blacksmith and a welder.  In his teenage years, he worked alongside his father,  teaching middle-school aged youth at a summer workshop program in Altamont, NY called the Helderberg Workshops.  After...

Artist Spotlight: Zhong-Hua Lu

Artist Spotlight: Zhong-Hua Lu

Zhong-hua Lu, who was born in 1958, learned Chinese brush painting from his father and five uncles in Shandong Province, China, beginning at age five.  Currently, he has taught traditional Chinese Arts, including Tai Chi and Chinese brush painting, at Mass MOCA,...