South Florida Folklife Center. Tropical Traditions: The Folklife of Southeast Florida - 1988-1991

This series documents Tropical Traditions: The Folklife of Southeast Florida (also known as the South Florida Folk Arts Project), a research project by The Historical Association of Southern Florida (now HistoryMiami Museum) conducted between 1988 and 1991 consisted of fieldwork which was supported by a grant from the Florida Endowment for the Humanities and culminated in the first major museum exhibit on the folklife of southeast Florida. Public programs included demonstrations, performances, and lectures by artists and experts showcasing a variety of traditions—musical performance and instrument making, food, needle arts, quilts, games, knots, furniture, sponge cutting, fishing, woodcarving, beadwork, alligator wrestling, cigar making, and dance. The exhibit explored the relationship between nature and folklife, analyzing ways in which southeast Florida folklife is rooted in both the environment and cultural heritage of the region. The exhibit also endeavored to dispel misconceptions about folklife in general and to foster public understanding and appreciation for the area’s unique folklife. Materials include: grant applications, budgets, and reports; information sheets, research articles, notes, and ephemera; exhibit planning and implementation documents; promotional publications for the exhibit; meeting notes, memoranda, and correspondence; photographic images (most by Michele Edelson) include prints, 35mm slides, and contact sheets.

Additional digital formats of image files available: Records were digitized 2015 – 2016. Users must contact staff ahead of visit for access.

Arranged into three series by format.

Digital materials available on Folklife Archive external drive.

Finding Aid Authors: Katherine L. Fleming, David Font, Vanessa Navarro, and Katharine Labuda 2014-2016.

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