The “Florida Folklife: Traditional Arts from the Panhandle to the Keys” project included extensive fieldwork and culminated in an exhibition on display at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida (now Museum of Miami) between September 18, 1998 and January 3, 1999. The project also produced a 104-page book—Florida Folklife: Traditional Arts in Contemporary Communities, edited by Stephen Stuempfle. The book includes essays by Stuempfle and Tina Bucuvalas and presents brief profiles (including photographs) of 84 artists whose respective traditions are organized into four categories: Maritime, Marsh, and Ranching Traditions; Domestic and Decorative Traditions; Ritual and Festive Traditions; and Musical Traditions. Artist profiles—researched and written by more than a dozen fieldworkers—include: Nick Toth (Diving Helmets), Billy Davis (Spurs), Ethel Santiago (Sweetgrass Baskets), Manuel Vega (Bridcages and Kites), Honey Perlman (Ketubot), Bahamas Junkanoo Revue (Junkanoo Costumes), and Romeo Ragbir (Tassa Drums).
The project collection includes: photographic 35mm slides; and audiocassette tape recordings of interviews, musical performances, a radio program promoting the exhibition, audio amplified in the exhibition, and digital formats of audio and select image files. All materials are available to the public through our Archives and Research Center.
