Southeastern Cultures

Consider the view from atop a grain elevator in southeastern Colorado. The land itself resembles a sort of crazy quilt made up of towns, roads, fields, pastures and farms. This essay encourages readers to think of the culture of the area in similar terms. It is a place where people from many different places stitch together a region and a way of life. Each group of people brings a package of experiences, individual and cultural. They maintain artistic traditions that are found in their homes and on the backs of horses, more often than in art galleries. The stories of several folk artists and several types of folk art forms bring the region to life. Wheat weaving, an art form that grows directly from the land, is an ancient craft that at one time was an economic necessity. The making of Nacimientos, traditional seasonal religious scenes, came to Colorado with immigrants from Mexico. And each quilt that dots the plains has a story to tell—of an individual, a family, a culture group or a place. This article makes it clear that folk arts are a window to personal and cultural identity. Included are classroom activities on collecting family folklore, learning about communities by attending local festivals, identifying quilt patterns and researching their meanings, looking at the real and symbolic worlds of the windmill, and exploring fiddling traditions. These traditions, and their stories, help teachers explore the southeastern region as well as the entire state. Written by CCA contract folklorist Laura Marcus.

Southeastern Colorado Cultures PDF