Florida Folklife Program

10/06/2026

We are back this Tuesday with some photos from the 2015-2016 Miami-Dade fieldwork survey, this time from folklorist Vanessa Navarro-Maza’s time with Iris Diaz. Iris busily serves Cuban coffee called cafecito and snacks throughout the day at Sergio's Restaurant in Westchester. Since she began at Sergio’s in 1987, Iris has worked at the ventanita where she takes orders, serves food, and makes coffee.

The customers know Iris by name and ask for her specifically because she is known for making the best cafecito. She learned to make it from her grandmother and uses her same technique. Iris explains that her job not only requires technical skill but also interpersonal skills. The ventanita is a place where people come to talk, gather, and unwind, and Iris must be a good listener to attend to the customers and their needs. She is an important part of Sergio’s and her story is a testament to the significance of ventanitas and cafecitos to this community.

10/05/2026

Heritage Award History!

Clarita Filgueiras: 2012 Florida Folk Heritage Award

Filgueiras has spent a lifetime practicing Spanish flamenco dance, beginning her studies at the age of eight. Born in Miami, Filgueiras comes from a long line of flamenco artists. From 1985 to 1989, she lived in Madrid with her family, where she trained with Spain’s best artists. She has since established herself as one of the top flamenco dancers in the United States.

See the video for more, courtesy of The Museum of Miami!

A performer and choreographer, Clarita Filgueiras has spent a lifet...

10/01/2026

Seminole Spotlight!

1960 (circa)- Seminole family. (Florida Memory)

09/30/2026

Artist Residency Alum!

The Ukrainian Dancers of Miami: 2024 Artist in Residency

For 75 years, the Ukrainian Dancers of Miami have preserved and promoted Ukraine’s culture through traditional music and dance performances. Composed of Ukrainians and Ukrainian-Americans, the Ukrainian Dancers of Miami are committed to educating others in the traditions of their ethnic heritage and keeping the legacy of Ukrainian dance alive.

Watch this video to see them in action!

2024 Artists-in-Residence the Ukrainian Dancers of Miami perform th...

09/29/2026

We are back this Tuesday with some photos from the 2015-2016 Miami-Dade fieldwork survey, this time from folklorist Vanessa Navarro-Maza’s time with David Garcia. David is the co-owner of La Camaronera Seafood Joint and Fish Market with his cousin, Maritza Garcia. La Camaronera was established in 1966 as a fish market by David’s father and uncles, known as Los Hermanos Garcia.

In 1976, the market expanded to become a Cuban fish-fry with u-shaped counters so that customers could eat while standing, and essentially, get in and out quickly. This counter, which still exists today, gave the restaurant the nick-name "Los Paraditos" because customers eat standing up.

09/28/2026

Heritage Award History!

Haiqiong Deng: 2017 Florida Folk Heritage Award

Haiqiong Deng was born in Lanzhou, China, where she began studying zheng music at an early age. The zheng is a plucked, 21-stringed instrument with a resonant body. The zheng is considered the ancestor of other Asian zithers such as the Japanese koto, Korean gayageum and Vietnamese dàn tranh, and the history of the instrument itself can be traced back over 2,500 years. Deng made her professional debut in Beijing in 1997 and since has developed an international reputation as a soloist and chamber musician with numerous performances throughout China, Japan, Singapore, and North America, including a debut at Carnegie Hall in 2003.

Driven by a passion to share and promote this music, Deng has given hundreds of performances at concert halls and universities, worked with various composers and taught numerous students.

09/25/2026

It’s Folk Festival Friday!

We are continuing our representations of Seminole culture, this time with Florida Folk Heritage Award winner Brian Zepeda from the 2019 Florida Folk Festival.

In this video, Brian describes his process of creating Seminole Bandolier Bags. Brian will take hundreds of hours to create these intricate bags, and is proud to have picked up the tradition and pass it on.

Seminole artist Brian Zepeda discusses bandolier bags at the Folkli...

09/24/2026

Seminole Spotlight!

1890 (circa)- Seminole sailing canoe. (Florida Memory)