Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

In a crystal dish, beside a plate of pancakes, butter formed in the shape of a lamb with a red ribbon around its neck, red flag sticking out from its back, and a black peppercorn for an eye.

Behold the Butter Lamb of God: A Polish Catholic Easter Tradition Beloved in Buffalo, New York

A butter lamb has taken center stage on my family’s Easter table for as long as I can remember.

Wooden shelves and counter filled with jars are lit by two oil lamps.

In Appalachia, Women Carry Traditions in Folk Magic and 'Granny Witchcraft'

Folk magic goes by many names in the Appalachian Mountains: root work, granny magic, kitchen witchery, Braucherei, witchcraft

A dining table set with more than a dozen dishes of food, including white rice, meat on skewers, stewed vegetables, and sliced cucumbers.

Top 5 Folklife Stories from 2023

This year, Folklife Magazine published a sprawling diversity of stories—from Armenian protest movements to young Asian American farmers.

Interior of a church, with people seated in chairs and pews, and a person in reddish robe with black trim walking toward the pulpit.

For Centuries This London Church Has Ministered to the Spiritual Needs of the Journalists and the Media

To Reverend Canon Dr. Alison Joyce, rector of St Bride’s London, there is a natural connection between the work of the clergy and journalists

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