In the fall of 2018, students in MLL 495 / 695 Intercultural Video production worked with Ashley Minner and Chad Buterbaugh of Maryland Traditions to profile winners of the 2018 Maryland Traditions Apprenticeship Award.
The program “supports up to one year of study in folklife, or living cultural traditions. During the study period, a master folklife practitioner passes down her or his knowledge to an apprentice in an effort to support the vitality of folklife in Maryland.” This year students produced two videos highlighting Baltimore – area recipients “Dario’s Barber Shop” and “Meki’s Tamure Polynesian Dance Group.” The group also visited Cumberland, Maryland to produce a video celebrating the 2018 Maryland Traditions Heritage Award winner “Curtis’ Coney Island Weiners.”
In the Dominican Republic, barbers “create living works of art through their cuts and stylings.” Many Dominican barbers have set up shop in Baltimore, including Dario Corona of Dario’s Barber Shop on Eastern Avenue. The class visited the shop on a busy Tuesday evening to talk with Dario and his nephew and apprentice Oliver.
Meki’s Tamure Polynesian Dance Group has provided live Polynesian entertainment since 1969. The group is lead by Meki Toalepai. This video shows the group in performance and includes interviews with three generations of the Meki Toalepai family.
Members of the class also visited Cumberland, Maryland to produce a video celebrating “Curtis’ Coney Island Weiners.” In 2018, Curtis’ was recognized with a Maryland Traditions heritage award in the category of Place. The video features owner Gino Giatras and highlights the unique place Curtis’ has held in the fabric of this transitioning rural community for more than a century. This video has been selected for screening at the 2019 Ethnografilm Festival in Paris.
Students with the crew at Dario’s Barber Shop. See additional photos from these projects here.