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Cultural Education


	Volunteer Volunteers needed for 2004 Smithsonian Folklife Festival GO

First Americans Festival
on the National Mall September 21-26, 2004

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			Smithsonian Folkways Recordings

	Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interview Guide: Some Possible Questions

"Abediah — A Family Saying"
"My grandfather grew up on a farm in Missouri in the Ozarks.There used to be a lot of traveling salesmen and peddlers back then, and there was this one man named Abediah who sold pots and pans and things like that. He would come through about once every six months and my great-grandmother would always invite him in for dinner. Abediah liked to talk an incredible amount. He would talk forever and interrupt everyone at the table, and so the expression came about in my family that whenever you interrupt anyone, everyone calls out "Abediah!"
— Marjorie Hunt, Washington, D.C.

Family Folklore (continued)

Q: What stories have come down to you about your parents and grandparents? More distant ancestors? (If you are interviewing your grandparents, ask them to tell you stories about what your parents were like when they were young!)

Q: Do you know any courtship stories? How did your parents, grandparents, and other relatives come to meet and marry?

Q: What are some of your childhood memories? What games did you play when you were a child? Did you sing verses when you played games? What were they? What kinds of toys did you play with? Who made them? Did you make any yourself? How did you make them? What kinds of materials did you use? What kind of home entertainment was there? Was there storytelling? Music? Were there craft traditions? Describe these traditions.


	Table of Contents

	Some Possible Questions

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Q: Does your family have any special sayings or expressions? What are they? How did they come about?

Q: How are holidays traditionally celebrated in your family? What holidays are the most important? Are there special family traditions, customs, songs, foods? Has your family created its own traditions and celebrations? What are they? How did they come about?

Q: What special foodways traditions does your family have? Have any recipes been preserved and passed down in your family from generation to generation? What are they? What are their origins? Have they changed over the years? How? Have any of the ingredients been adapted or changed? Why? Are there certain foods that are traditionally prepared for holidays and celebrations? Who makes them? Are there family stories connected to the preparation of special foods?

Q: Does your family hold reunions? When? Where? Who attends? How long have the reunions been going on? What activities take place? Are awards given out? Is there a central figure who is honored? Why? What sorts of stories are told at these events?

Q: What family heirlooms or keepsakes and mementos do you possess? Why are they valuable to you? What is their history? How were they handed down? Are there any memories or stories connected with them?

Q: Do you have any photo albums, scrapbooks, home movies? Who made them? When? Can you describe/explain their contents? Who is pictured? What activities and events are documented?

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