Folklife Area at Richmond Folk Festival to explore spiritual life in Virginia

From Ethiopian Orthodox singing to Persian spiritual music to Islamic calligraphy, this year's CenterStage Virginia Folklife Area and Stage at the Richmond Folk Festival seeks to mine the talents of Virginians.

"It's the one part of the festival that is exclusively Virginia-centered," said Jon Lohman, director of the Virginia Folklife Program and state folklorist at the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities. "The festival is so diverse, with music from all around the country and the world. . . . Our area delves a little deeper into a subject."

This year's Folklife Area at the free festival, which takes place Oct. 9-11 along the downtown riverfront, centers around the theme "Sacred Sounds -- Sacred Spaces."

The "sounds" portion will present 10 performers, including Reston-based cantor Irena Altschul, who will offer Jewish liturgical song; The Hummingbirds, the United House of Prayer "shout band" from Portsmouth; and Richmond favorite Maggie Ingram, who sings African-American gospel music.

Seven other acts also will contribute, with Baptist singing, a gospel quartet, and Virginia Indian drum and dance among the offerings.

In the "spaces" portion, the area surrounding the Folklife stage, craftsmen such as Abbas Joudee, an Islamic calligraphist from Stafford County, and Dennis Stephens, a pipe organ builder from Callao, will demonstrate their respective talents.

Stephens also will steer a reed organ workshop, during which participants can learn about the instrument as well as play it.

"We really try to mix the material elements -- the crafts -- in a conscious way with the music," Lohman said.

Joining Joudee and Stephens are four other craftspeople who will discuss and display such items as Mexican ritual altars and paper sculptures.

Another highlight in the Folklife Area will be the "Church Crowns" fashion show, slated to take place at 3:15 p.m. on Oct. 11.

Churchwomen from the Richmond region will parade their best "crowns," or church hats. The etiquette of the hats dates back to biblical times, when women were asked to cover their heads while praying.

The show will feature models from Richmond wearing the hats, and the "Church Crowns" exhibit includes a collection of photos shared by Ingram's family.

"So many of the arts arise from worship and spiritual settings in Virginia," Lohman said, explaining the genesis of the "Sacred Sounds -- Sacred Spaces" theme. "Because so much of the arts take place through sacred places, we though it would be a cool way to express how diverse Virginia is."

Contact Melissa Ruggieri at (804) 649-6120 or .