Why Is Our Heritage Important?

Passed across generations and among family and friends, folklife traditions and folk arts form the cultural fabric of communities.  In this way, Nebraskans confirm connections with one another, creating a shared identity within a state composed of different regional and ethnic communities.  The folk and traditional arts, in particular, have the ability to showcase the creative power of tradition in contemporary life.  The Nebraska Folklife Network helps ensure that these important parts of our heritage continue to enrich our lives. We do this by recognizing and promoting the artistic and cultural traditions that originate in Nebraska's communities

Across Nebraska, the traditional arts spring from a variety of sources and take many forms.  Folk artists have created living cultural artifacts in the form of quilts, wood carvings, beadwork, needlework, hand-tooled saddles, musical instruments, and architectural embellishments. 

The traditions of artists and communities can be seen, felt, heard, and tasted in the richness of kolaches and Greek pastries; the sounds of bouncy Czech, Mexican, Polish, and German polka music; the skilled dancing at Native American powwows and Asian cultural celebrations; and the excitement of rodeos and county fairs. 

Nebraska has a deep agricultural heritage that includes many traditions from dowsing (water witching) to weather lore to saddlemaking.  It is a heritage that connects us to the land around us whether we currently live in the country or the city. These and many more expressions of folk art and folklife are integral to our daily lives.