Getting in touch with Roots: Traditional NH Folk Arts

Most people don't know the extent of how rich our heritage is in New Hampshire. As a native to New Hampshire, it was really interesting to see how many different traditions, dances and skill sets the people of NH practice. The traditional Folk Arts of NH has not only emerged as the state's leading cultural center but has also accomplished this by passing these trades down generationally. 

According to www.nh.gov/folklife, "Traditional arts are artistic activities that are passed down from one generation to the next within families and communities and are regarded by the community as part of their heritage." These activities can include music, dance, storytelling, crafts, skills, celebrations, and architecture. Communities can include many things such as groups that share the same ethnic heritage, language, geographic area, religion or occupations such as furniture making.

Folk Art, or more traditional arts, are quite different from the arts of our contemporary culture and they generally aren't MOMA material. This means that traditional art based on generations of teaching and learning usually changes slowly and over a long period of time. Through these ideas of slow change and encompassing a sense of community values, Folk Art is unique to every geographical area. 

Surprisingly, New Hampshire has a variety of activities that have been practiced as "grass roots" for a number of years. A few of the traditional arts in our area include the New England social dance, better known as contra or square dancing. They may not be held in barns anymore, but yes, the Canadian fiddlers are still present. New Hampshire also has a history embedded with both African dancing and drumming and Irish ceili dancing, or traditional Irish dancing. 

Other more crafty traditions include Abenaki ash and sweet grass basket making, quilting, rug braiding and hooking as well as spinning and lace making. New Hampshire artists also hold expertise in musical instrument and furniture making, wood and sign carving, canoe building, arrow, snowshoe and dog sled making and even ox yoke and harness making. 

A few ways to check out art local to NH or our area is to head into a League of NH Craftsmen store, located throughout NH and host different artists local to that area. There are also a number of museums celebrating local tradition like The Currier Museum in Manchester. At a much closer distance, there is the Plymouth Historical Museum which is located on Court St. or the Grass Roots Art store on Main St.