There were so many things going on behind the scenes for this project! Read a little about these magnificent people and what drew them to this project. Here is a list of the people who made this project happen in various ways!

University of Oregon Students:

Jeremya, University of Oregon, Folklore and Public Culture Undergraduate Student

I am a senior undergraduate in the folklore program at the University of Oregon. My father is Israeli, and my mother American. My ancestral heritage is in Hungarian, Romanian, and Czech. My family that lives outside the US resides on a small Kibbutz in the very North of Israel near the Syria & Lebanon borders. A few things I love are writing, music, dance, and nature. I love to spend time outdoors with my family, which I have fond memories of doing as a child growing up in Oregon. I also love to cook, especially from memory. There is something inherently special about learning to make a dish from a family member, and being able to share it with others. I think my appreciation and respect for heritage and craft making will add to this project. I am looking forward to all learning from one another. It is a pleasure to meet you via our group!

Anna, University of Oregon, Nursing Major (transfer), Undergraduate Student

My name is Anna Swanson. I just turned 21 about three weeks ago and I am born and raised in Eugene, Oregon. My parents both grew up in Oregon, my dad a little further north, outside of Portland, OR and my mom grew up in Eugene. My family likes to say we have the “basic American heritage.” I have a little bit of this and that in me – Scottish, Irish, Swedish, German and others. In fact, they’re all small percentages that make it up.
I am actually a nursing major and am applying to nursing schools this month. I have completed two years at a nearby community college and this year has kind of been a “gap year” for me. Last term, I was studying abroad at an immersion school in Malaga, Spain to better my Spanish. Then, I decided to enroll in a University for the rest of this year to work on a couple Bachelor’s degrees and take some upper division courses. As I was going through the list of upper division courses I could take, I came across this class. To be completely honest, I wasn’t sure what Folklore was, nor what type of subject it entailed. It just sounded interesting to me. I am very glad I decided to take this class because I am learning so much and have really enjoyed the material.
I’ve attached a photo of me that was taken this past summer when my family and I explored Banff, Canada. This was when my brother and I went canoeing on the famous blue lake, Lake Louise.
Iris, University of Oregon, Folklore and Public Culture Graduate Student
Rose, University of Oregon Masters of Nonprofit Management Student and Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies Student

My name is Rose Sleanbeck, I am 33 years old. My cultural heritage is I am an American of European decent, specifically mostly German with Lithuanian and other Eastern European ancestry. I grew up in Northern California, in El Dorado County in a small town called Cameron Park and then later Placerville. I lived for 10 years in Portland with my husband from right after we were married in 2008 until we moved with our infant daughter to Eugene in 2018. I am interested in this course because I am fascinated by folklore, material culture, exploring identity and place, group cohesion and the connections between identity, group identity and material culture.

Alia, University of Oregon, Folklore and Public Culture Graduate Student

Greetings, my name is Alia. I am a second year graduate student in the Folklore and Public Culture program. My research comprises changing death traditions and celebrations of life in the US. I am also interested in antiques, art, art history, craft[ing], design, cinema, photography, archives, theatre and cultural arts.

Oregon Artists,

Esther Stutzman

Hi… Qa’pai… I’m Esther Stutzman and I live in a rural area near the very small town of Yoncalla south of Eugene, Oregon.. We have a population of about 1000 people . I feel very fortunate to live here because it is the same land my ancestors have lived on for thousands of years. I am Komemma Kalapuya (from the Willamette Valley) and on my father’s side, I am Hanis Coos from the Oregon coast. I am an enrolled member of the Confederated Trbes of Siletz Indians.
I am a traditional storyteller and I work with schools, museums, libraries and universities sharing my culture and history. I am also involved in a project to bring back the Kalapuya language which has nearly been lost and currently has no fluent living speakers. I have been married for 55 years and we have three daughters, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and a very large extended family.
Besides working with cultural programs I love music and I am a part of a six-woman Old West Cowgirl band. We rehearse very Tuesday evening and perform around the Western Oregon area. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone soon and exchanging information about our cultures.
Roberta Kirk
Niix Klauwit! Good evening, my name is Roberta Kirk. I live at Simnasho, OR which is on the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Reservation. I am Tenino, Wasco and Dine’. I do a lot of beadwork and love to sew outfits for my people and family to wear. I also am a designated food gatherer for the Simnasho Longhouse. I’m raising two granddaughters and am teaching them our ways of the longhouse and also encourage them both to get a good education.
I’ve attached a few photos of three of our traditional foods, the Salmon, Roots and Huckleberries. These are very sacred foods to us and each food has a ceremony to welcome them back and give thanks to Creator. Each food has its order, the salmon is always first, followed by the Bitterroot, and then the huckleberries. There are many other sacred foods too but these three are the ones that always come first and in this order. As a food gatherer for the Simnasho Longhouse, I dig roots and pick huckleberries for the feasts for each one. We harvest for the people to give thanks at the longhouse, once that meal is completed then its open for everyone to go out and gather for your own families.
I worked for our tribe in Cultural Resources and was the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) Coordinator. I Would contact museums, universities and federal institutions, trying to locate our ancestral remains. Once we located them we would work to bring them home and be reburied. Recently we brought ancestors home that were in New Zealand.
I also worked with cultural plants and consulted with entities that wanted to build on our ceded or aboriginal lands, we would advise them if there were any cultural or sensitive objects that they needed to watch for. We did oral history interviews and worked with our elders.
I’m looking forward to learning more about all of you. Thank you
Univerisity of Oregon, The Oregon Folklife Network:
Riki (Rachelle H.) Saltzman, PhD, Executive Director, Oregon Folklife Network

Riki joined the Oregon Folklife Network as Executive Director in July 2012. Since her arrival, she has overseen the development of the Oregon Culture Keepers Roster, raised over $600,000 in grant dollars, directed several public programs, including Folk Arts in the Parks (2013-14), and created statewide partnerships. Saltzman serves on Travel Oregon’s AgriTourism Leadership Working Group and on the Century Farm and Ranch Board. She works with a variety of communities and individuals to provide assistance with multicultural and diversity issues, project development, event planning and implementation, presentation of traditional arts and artists, grant writing, and curriculum content. As OFN’s director, Saltzman collaborates with groups and organizations to develop projects, writes grants, makes presentations to community groups and state agencies, supervises staff and interns, and fundraises.

Emily West Hartlerode, M.A., Associate Director, Oregon Folklife Network

Emily became Associate Director of the Oregon Folklife Network in July 2015 after starting as Program Manager when it moved to the University of Oregon (UO) in 2010. West Hartlerode has an MA in Folklore and certificate in Gender Studies from UO where she trained in feminist ethnographic fieldwork, and documentary filmmaking. West Hartlerode has produced fiction films and documentaries, both feature-length and shorts. Her documentary topics range from women rock musicians to inmate crochet communities, from traditional artists to Native archivists. Her collaborations include a promotional video for the National Parks Service-sponsored “Honoring Tribal Legacies” guide, and the 38th Annual American Indian Youth Camp. West Hartlerode currently manages NEA-funded projects like the Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program [link internally], and the Technical Assistance Collaboration Grants [link internally]. She is a member of the American Folklore Society and the Association of Western States Folklorists, professional organizations dedicated to public programming and preservation of traditional arts. West Hartlerode’s service to the field, includes planning committees (NASAA 2012, AWSF 2013), and chairing the University-based programs panel at AFS 2012. Locally, she sits on the Lane County Cultural Coalition and the Whiteaker Community Council. When she is not working or volunteering in the arts and culture sector, she can be found in her garden, or performing folk music on local stages.

Romania Students:

Ștefania Cîșlariu

My name is Stefania, I am from Romania, Targu-Jiu, which is quiet, lovely town, and also the town of Brancusi. I’m 18 years old and I am in my last year of high school. I was born and raised in Romania, but I love traveling and discovering new cultures and traditions. Other things that I love are meeting new people, hearing about their life-stories and finding out more about them, reading, watching old movies and learning foreign languages, also I would like to earn my living out of it someday. I really love our Romanian traditions as well. I believe that are very meaningful. Luckily I had the chance to visit some of Europe’s countries and most beautiful places and a little bit of Asia. I learnt so much from those experiences and I’m looking forward to learn more and more!

Diana Ghita

My name is Diana and I am from Târgu Jiu, Romania🇹🇩. I’m 18 years old and I’m in my senior year at our local arts high school, studying architecture and painting, so my hobbies are like 90% art related. I must confess that I’ve always struggled with meeting new people and socializing, not that I wasn’t curious or friendly, but I’ve always been anxious to get out there in the world… But my first youth exchange in an Erasmus project changed how I see things in that matter completely. I loved the experience, the people, and getting to know them, opening up about everything from personal topics to cultural traditions, made me feel amazing, and since then, I’m craving more of that. So basically that’s the main reason why I am here : to interact, discover, meet new people and create connections as many and as meaningful as the last ones that I’ve managed to make were.

Cornea Andrei, Graduate Student

My name is Andrei, I’m 23 years young, from Tg-Jiu, Romania. I’m a student in my final year of master’s studies. I’m currently doing an internship in Poland, which takes up most of my time, adding the social activities/events as well. However, I’ll be back in Romania in February. Some of my hobbies include traveling, cinematography, reading, music, catching on current affairs, basketball, etc. I would also like to point out that I consider these hobbies as my main interests as well.

The reason why I joined this project is because it drew my attention and I was very curious as to what is it really about, how it will be handled and I knew that I can learn something different and beneficial here. The main aspect of it – anthropology – it’s what got me interested in it because I consider it a fascinating subject which can broaden your horizons. The fact that it’s such a broad field is another factor why I joined in.
Alexandru Stefulescu Gorj County Museum:
Alina Eugenia Tița
EmaVio Tulpan, Educator
My name is Ema and I am an English teacher in my hometown. I love being involved in projects which encourage my students to express themselves through English and Art – such as this one! I studied at Bucharest Uni, majoring in Theology and English, with an MA in Cultural Studies. I have been married for 23 years and am a proud mother of sons Caleb and Levi (17, 15). We all go to a small Baptist church and love God because He first loved us. My passions are traveling (including the planning), walking (especially around old towns), sun-bathing (I adore summers), reading (in English) and watching movies (never horror). More creative hobbies are scrapbooking, interior designing and gardening. Oh, and I love old buildings!
Florin Gheorghiu,
I am an artist and I live with my head in the clouds! Otherwise I could not make my art. My name is Florin Gheorghiu and I am a teacher of Plastic Education pathway for children from the Constantin Săvoi Secondary School in Târgu Jiu. Grandparents from my father have been teachers all my life and they have taught me that school is the place where spiritual values ​​are in place of honor, and children should enjoy not only the attention and love of teachers, but also a good example given by work. the individual as a popular artist that helps them to evolve beautifully and to find in their lives the path closest to the soul. My wife Iliana Gheorghiu, was my bank colleague in the faculty and at present she is my partner in family life but also in the cultural life from which our works of art that all have a certain religious theme result. “Without faith and without God, nothing can be done. I started from the idea that every object in itself becomes a soul that feels in every work of art and beyond! Together we have two children: Anamaria and Horatiu Matei. Through each work of art I tried to capture and convey a state of mind, the one inside the object, which you do not see, but feel, my works are pure, sacred thoughts, states of the spirit that lead to an elevation.
Filomela Sîrbu – Tiştere, Traditional Romanian Embroiderer
Hello everybody! My name is Filomela Sirbu-Tistere and I am a teacher at the Folk Arts School in Targu Jiu. I am specialized in rug weaving and sewing Romanian blouses. I learned this craft from my mother and, together with Valeria, my mother and Claudia, my sister, we have a workshop in Tismana, a town in the Gorj County. I have participated to various cultural and tourism events that promote Romanian traditions, such as: International Tourism Fair and International Exhibition of Traditional Art in Israel, International Tourism Fair from Vienna (Austria), International Tourism Fair from Madrid (Spain), International Tourism Fair from Poland, etc. I am also invited by many Romanian museums to attend Folk Crafts Fairs. I have collaborated with Astra Museum from Sibiu, The National Village Museum Bucharest, The Peasant Musem Bucharest or the Museum of Ethnography from Transylvania in Cluj-Napoca and many other museums from Romania.