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Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

In a warmly lit room, a woman in a floral dress tells a story, both hands outstretched, for a small seated audience that watches her and smiles.

Top Five Folklife Stories of 2025

#ICYMI, here are the most-read articles from the Center’s online magazine this year.

Film still of an elder woman and a young man, both in wheelchairs, facing each other in conversation and smiling in a warmly lit living room. A man sits to the side, next to a laptop, also smiling.

A Glimpse at 'The Ride Ahead' and a More Inclusive Future With Filmmaker Samuel Habib

“Disabled people should have their voices heard, and we should be able to tell our own stories,” Habib says

A man wearing glasses, white headwrap, and apron holds a metal object to a flame in a forge, sparks flying toward the stone walls.

The Reappearing Art of Metalworking in Mukhrani, Georgia

In Georgian mythology, the blacksmith is often portrayed as a magical figure endowed with superhuman strength—sometimes even as a semi-divine being.

Map of North America with several points across the continent marked with a blue pinpoint.

Explore Native American Films in the Mother Tongue Story Map

Through documentaries and dramas, animations and music videos, this collection highlights the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Americas.

A woman in a yellow dress and long braids skateboarding on a half-pipe

On International Day of Indigenous Women, Meet Native Women Skaters Making Space in the Sport

This is how Imilla Skate celebrates skateboarding’s Indigenous past and present.

Close-up on a pair of hands removing multicolored dried corn kernels into a woven basket.

The Journey of Myaamia Native Corn to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (A Photo Essay)

The journey of myaamia miincipi reflects the journey of the Myaamia people, who have been working tirelessly to reclaim their language and culture.

Timelapse photo of a bright pink night sky with the trails of stars creating concentric white circles. Tops of trees are lit up yellow at the bottom of the photo.

Finding Hope in Sidewalk Astronomy, From a Neighborhood Near You to a Galaxy Far, Far Away

During the 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival, sidewalk astronomers brought a sense of hope into Washington, D.C.

A collection of twelve custom-made, metallic signs is displayed against a dark background. The signs are arranged in three rows of four. The signs are a mix of gold and silver colors with various fonts and designs.

Indonesian Artists of SWEDA Build a Brand—with a Silver Lining

These jewelry artists came all the way from Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to Washington, D.C., to share the traditions and innovations of their silversmithing practice at the 2025 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

feather-dancer-hilltop.jpg

The Dance of the Feather Is a Flight Between Tradition and Modernity

The dance tradition has survived five centuries of cultural changes and fused Mexico’s pre-Hispanic past with its present

Backshot of two men work together to pin blueprints of a building design to a corkboard wall.

In Charleston, American College of the Building Arts Educates the Next Generation of Craftspeople

Synthesizing liberal arts education with hands-on experience in architectural trades, ACBA strives to encourage the preservation, enrichment, and understanding of global architectural heritage.

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