Sunday, July 5, 2015

Leader of the Pack

The feathers on the young man's headdress rose well above the cluster of children surrounding him. He went through the moves of a dance, the same fierce expression never leaving his face. The kids imitated the moves, tentatively at first, then with more confidence and a few war-like whoops. This exchange, between a Peruvian musician/dancer and the members of a local day camp, is what the Smithsonian Folklife Festival is all about. What better way is there for young people to learn about other countries and other cultures?