Nebraska Folklife Network

Nebraska Folklife Network (NFN) is the only organization in the state that is devoted to celebrating, documenting and preserving the folk arts and other cultural traditions of Nebraska’s varied ethnic groups. These traditions include some familiar ones, such as Czech polka dancing.  But many are newer, like the hand weaving done by the Karen people from Myanmar (formerly Burma.) 

Our Mission is: To foster, sustain, and increase awareness of Nebraska's rich cultural heritage. We help make Nebraskans more aware of folk traditions in our state  by contacting and promoting traditional artists, presenting public events that showcase examples of folklife, (such as Lincoln’s Day of the Dead celebration scheduled for November 4, 2018), and creating multi-media cultural education kits on the various cultural and ethnic groups in Nebraska. Schools and community groups statewide can borrow these kits for free from our partner, Humanities Nebraska. NFN also features an online curriculum on our website called Nebraska by Heart, which is a fun and interactive way to help our heritage come alive in the classroom or anywhere in the world! 

Last summer, NFN conducted a field survey of traditional artists in western Nebraska. The goal of this project was to document living cultural traditions by identifying, and conducting video recorded interviews with, traditional artists. Examples of folklife documented in this survey include saddle making, western hat making, silver- smithing, livestock auctioneering, taxidermy, clock making, wheat weaving, Native American beadwork, Japanese American food customs, Mexican American dance traditions, and more. This was NFN's first of a series of such surveys that will eventually cover the entire state.

In 2017, NFN co-sponsored the first Lincoln Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a highly successful event, which is scheduled again this year.The free, family-friendly, downtown celebration featured a mariachi band, local Mexican folk dancers, face painting, ofrenda displays (remembrance altars), t-shirt screen printing, food, crafts, and more. Performances and activities were held at Bennett Martin Library, Nebraska History Museum, and Lincoln Children’s Museum. A reception in the UNL Student Union (sponsored by the Mexican American Student Association and El Centro de las Américas) completed the day’s activities. More than 1500 people attended. 

Funds raised on Give to Lincoln Day 2018 will help support Lincoln’s Day of the Dead event this year, as well as other local NFN programming.  Day of the Dead is meant to honor and remember all those who have passed on. It's one more way to bring our whole community together to observe and enjoy the rich and varied traditions practiced here in Lincoln. By donating to NFN you contribute to Lincoln’s welcoming tradition!