TAUNY

Photo courtesy of TAUNY

Helpers at workshop sponsored by TAUNY.

As the years pass, many traditions seem to follow. As times change, we become more dependent on technology to do things for us. You don't often see someone weaving a basket by hand or carving a piece of wood with just a knife.

The people of upstate New York have built a tradition of art and culture that will influence younger generations for many years. There are many forms of traditional arts that have come from the North Country. Things like weaving baskets by hand, playing folk and bluegrass music, going to square dances, knitting sweaters from yarn and storytelling are just a few from a long list.

To educate younger generations on the way things use to be, people all over upstate New York are continually striving to keep their regional traditional arts and culture alive

Traditional Arts of Upstate New York (TAUNY) is a nonprofit organization that is located in Canton, New York. TAUNY is dedicated to helping people relive the folk art traditions of past and present generations. Varick A. Chittenden founded TAUNY in 1986. Originally from St. Lawrence County, Chittenden is the Executive Director of TAUNY, as well as a folklorist, who holds a master's degree in American Folk Culture.

The TAUNY organization scans the region for people with knowledge of the traditional arts that have molded upstate New York. TAUNY takes all the information it receives and documents it with video recordings and interviews. Assistant Director of TAUNY Jill Breit said, "Traditional arts are what make the North Country the North Country, and we want to include everyone in on them."

By documenting what they hear about the North Country's traditional arts, TAUNY can teach younger generations to reflect on people and traits of the past.

Throughout the year, TAUNY sponsors workshops that are held all over the North Country. These workshops are filled with a variety of specialists. These specialists are North Country residents that can provide a firsthand account on their subject matter.

"All the people who come to our workshops are highly skilled in a particular area of art," says Breit. "If we are having a workshop on Mohawk crafts, we would have a Mohawk woman come and demonstrate the skill and effort put into each individual item."

Every year, TAUNY gives The National Heritage Award to individuals or community groups that excel in traditional arts. Four people received the award this year: knitter Barb Klemens, harmonica player Fred V. Higby, rustic furniture maker Tom Phillips, and the esteemed folk group, Perkins Family Band. These people have mastered their traditional arts and have taken time to give presentations and help in TAUNY sponsored workshops.

Phyllis Ezero Perkins of the Perkins Family Band has been a part of traditional music all her life. She has played bluegrass music with her family since she was a child. "My father would hold square dances in the forties," she says. "My family and I would travel all around with him."

The Perkins family band is extremely supportive of the TAUNY organization and will continue to play at workshops as long as they are needed.

"As long as I can help keep old time music traditions alive, I will," says Perkins.

The TAUNY organization is not only keeping old traditions alive, it's also giving exposure to talent that goes unnoticed. Many people in the North Country grew up living life in traditional ways, so carving something from wood with just a knife seems natural. What people don't realize is the work that goes into these arts, until they see it for the first time.

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Photo courtesy of TAUNY

Young child is introduced to traditional arts.

"When I bring my daughter to a workshop, and she sees with her own eyes on how things used to be made, it makes her realize family values, and that is what it is all about," said Perkins.

The TAUNY organization has received numerous awards for its dedication to keeping traditional arts and culture alive in the North Country. For the past 16 years, TAUNY has traveled the North Country, exposing a long list of traditional cultures. Generations to come may not be aware of it, but when TAUNY comes into their town and shows them great traditional arts and cultures of the past, they will be in for a big surprise as the times continue to change.

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