Menu Expand Menu Close
Back to Top
Filter Search Expand Close Filter
Search Expand Search Close
["Vernon John Burky was born to a Swiss family in Helvetia, West Virginia in 1925. He grew up speaking Swiss on his family farm, where his parents raised animals and managed a sawmill, and his grandparents operated a cheese house. They made Helvetia cheese, a type of Swiss cheese, similar to Emental, that was made throughout the Helvetia community and a staple in the diet of residents. As a child, Burky raised chickens and tapped maple trees on his family farm. As an adult, he was an active winemaker, a common pursuit in the Helvetia community. During his working years, Burky worked as a truck driver for a saw mill and a coal company. He learned to play fiddle as a child and started playing in the Helvetia Star Band, the local dance band for generations and the namesake of one of the villages two dance halls. He still plays in the group, which performs regularly for Helvetia square dances and events. This interview is part of a series of interviews conducted with foodways practitioners in Helvetia, West Virginia, as part of the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance. Learn more: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/"]%

13. Vernon Burky and friends play a short fiddle tune at the Helvetia Community Fair

Identifier:
4224.BurkyVernon.Video.002.9.10.16
Title:
Vernon Burky and friends play a short fiddle tune at the Helvetia Community Fair
Date:
2016-09-10
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Fiddling, Helvetia (W. Va.), Old-time music, Fiddle tunes
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["The Helvetia Community Fair, located in the Swiss community of Helvetia in Randolph County, is one of the oldest agricultural fairs in West Virginia. Activities include a parade in Swiss costume, alphorn music, Swiss folk dancing and singing, fahnenschwingen (flag twirling), a crafts, food, and canning exhibition, field events, an archery shoot, and more.Learn more in Emily Hilliard's Bitter Southerner piece on Helvetia's seasonal celebrations, including the Community Fair: https://bittersoutherner.com/my-year-in-helvetia-west-virginiaAnd in the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project conducted by the West Virginia Folklife Program in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/"]%

14. Alphorn music and fahnenschwingen (Swiss flag twirling) at the Helvetia Community Fair

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaCommunityFair.Video.001.9.10.16
Title:
Alphorn music and fahnenschwingen (Swiss flag twirling) at the Helvetia Community Fair
Date:
2016-09-10
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Swiss Americans, Helvetia (W. Va.), Alphorn
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["The Helvetia Community Fair, located in the Swiss community of Helvetia in Randolph County, is one of the oldest agricultural fairs in West Virginia. Activities include a parade in Swiss costume, alphorn music, Swiss folk dancing and singing, fahnenschwingen (flag twirling), a crafts, food, and canning exhibition, field events, an archery shoot, and more.Learn more in Emily Hilliard's Bitter Southerner piece on Helvetia's seasonal celebrations, including the Community Fair: https://bittersoutherner.com/my-year-in-helvetia-west-virginiaAnd in the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project conducted by the West Virginia Folklife Program in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/"]%

15. Helvetian children performing Swiss folk dance at the Helvetia Community Fair, 1 of 3

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaCommunityFair.Video.002.9.10.16
Title:
Helvetian children performing Swiss folk dance at the Helvetia Community Fair, 1 of 3
Date:
2016-09-10
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Folk dancing, Swiss, Swiss Americans, Helvetia (W. Va.)
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["The Helvetia Community Fair, located in the Swiss community of Helvetia in Randolph County, is one of the oldest agricultural fairs in West Virginia. Activities include a parade in Swiss costume, alphorn music, Swiss folk dancing and singing, fahnenschwingen (flag twirling), a crafts, food, and canning exhibition, field events, an archery shoot, and more.Learn more in Emily Hilliard's Bitter Southerner piece on Helvetia's seasonal celebrations, including the Community Fair: https://bittersoutherner.com/my-year-in-helvetia-west-virginiaAnd in the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project conducted by the West Virginia Folklife Program in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/"]%

16. Helvetian children performing Swiss folk dance at the Helvetia Community Fair, 1 of 3

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaCommunityFair.Video.003.9.10.16
Title:
Helvetian children performing Swiss folk dance at the Helvetia Community Fair, 1 of 3
Date:
2016-09-10
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Folk dancing, Swiss, Swiss Americans, Helvetia (W. Va.)
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["The Helvetia Community Fair, located in the Swiss community of Helvetia in Randolph County, is one of the oldest agricultural fairs in West Virginia. Activities include a parade in Swiss costume, alphorn music, Swiss folk dancing and singing, fahnenschwingen (flag twirling), a crafts, food, and canning exhibition, field events, an archery shoot, and more.Learn more in Emily Hilliard's Bitter Southerner piece on Helvetia's seasonal celebrations, including the Community Fair: https://bittersoutherner.com/my-year-in-helvetia-west-virginiaAnd in the Helvetia Foodways Oral History Project conducted by the West Virginia Folklife Program in partnership with the Southern Foodways Alliance: https://www.southernfoodways.org/oral-history/helvetia-west-virginia/"]%

17. Helvetian children performing Swiss folk dance at the Helvetia Community Fair, 3 of 3

Identifier:
4224.HelvetiaCommunityFair.Video.004.9.10.16
Title:
Helvetian children performing Swiss folk dance at the Helvetia Community Fair, 3 of 3
Date:
2016-09-10
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Swiss Americans, Folk dancing, Swiss, Helvetia (W. Va.)
Location:
Helvetia (W. Va.)
["Sam & Joe HerrmannJoe Herrmann (b.1949) and Sam Herrmann (b. 1949), both Maryland natives, are traditional musicians who play together as part of Critton Hollow String Band. They have been a couple since the mid-1970s when they moved to Hampshire County, West Virginia. Joe is a fiddle and banjo player, and Sam is a guitar and hammer dulcimer player. Sam is also a knitter, hand yarn spinner, and owns the knitting kit company Samspun. They live on a piece of land in Paw Paw, WV where they keep sheep."]%

18. Joe and Sam Herrmann play "Old Rip" by Lynn Morris on their back porch

Identifier:
4224.HerrmannJoeHerrmannSam.Video.7.19.16
Title:
Joe and Sam Herrmann play "Old Rip" by Lynn Morris on their back porch
Date:
2016-07-19
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Folk music--West Virginia, Old-time music, Critton Hollow Stringband, Banjo
Location:
Hampshire County (W. Va.)
["James L. Day (July 5, 1932-April 12, 2019) was the owner of JL Day Sign Company in St. Albans, WV. He made hand-bent neon signs for nearly 60 years and was one of the last hand tube benders in the Kanawha Valley.In 2018, the West Virginia Folklife Program worked with West Virginia Public Broadcasting to produce audio and video documentaries about Day. View them at https://wvfolklife.org/2018/09/04/st-albans-artisan-has-been-making-neon-signs-by-hand-for-five-decades-a-profile-of-james-l-day/Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCe99a7ke50&feature=emb_titleAudio: https://soundcloud.com/wvpublicnews/wva-artisan-has-been-making-neon-signs-by-hand-for-five-decadesRead Days obituary here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/saint-albans-wv/james-day-8250954"]%

19. James Day bends glass tube over an open flame to make a neon sign, 1 of 2

Identifier:
4224.JamesDay.Video.001.11.8.17
Title:
James Day bends glass tube over an open flame to make a neon sign, 1 of 2
Date:
2017-11-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Neon signs, Saint Albans (W. Va.), Tube bending
Location:
Saint Albans (W. Va.)
["James L. Day (July 5, 1932-April 12, 2019) was the owner of JL Day Sign Company in St. Albans, WV. He made hand-bent neon signs for nearly 60 years and was one of the last hand tube benders in the Kanawha Valley.In 2018, the West Virginia Folklife Program worked with West Virginia Public Broadcasting to produce audio and video documentaries about Day. View them at https://wvfolklife.org/2018/09/04/st-albans-artisan-has-been-making-neon-signs-by-hand-for-five-decades-a-profile-of-james-l-day/Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCe99a7ke50&feature=emb_titleAudio: https://soundcloud.com/wvpublicnews/wva-artisan-has-been-making-neon-signs-by-hand-for-five-decadesRead Days obituary here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/saint-albans-wv/james-day-8250954"]%

20. James Day bends glass tube over an open flame to make a neon sign, 2 of 2

Identifier:
4224.JamesDay.Video.002.11.8.17
Title:
James Day bends glass tube over an open flame to make a neon sign, 2 of 2
Date:
2017-11-08
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Saint Albans (W. Va.), Neon signs, Tube bending
Location:
Saint Albans (W. Va.)
["Maria Kayafas has been the Greek dance instructor at the St. John the Divine Greek Orthodox Church in Wheeling for 25 years. She grew up in Kent, Ohio. In this interview, she talks about her family background and heritage, her experience as a Greek dancer and dance instructor, and the community at St. John the Divine. Learn more about the Wheeling Grecian Fest: http://www.grecianfest.com/"]%

21. Girls in Greek dance troupe perform at Wheeling Grecian Fest

Identifier:
4224.KayafasMaria.Video.001.7.27.17
Title:
Girls in Greek dance troupe perform at Wheeling Grecian Fest
Date:
2017-07-27
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Folk dancing, Greek, Festivals, Wheeling, W.Va.
Location:
Wheeling (W. Va.)
["Maria Kayafas has been the Greek dance instructor at the St. John the Divine Greek Orthodox Church in Wheeling for 25 years. She grew up in Kent, Ohio. In this interview, she talks about her family background and heritage, her experience as a Greek dancer and dance instructor, and the community at St. John the Divine. Learn more about the Wheeling Grecian Fest: http://www.grecianfest.com/"]%

22. Families dance with Greek dance troupe at Wheeling Grecian Fest

Identifier:
4224.KayafasMaria.Video.002.7.27.17
Title:
Families dance with Greek dance troupe at Wheeling Grecian Fest
Date:
2017-07-27
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Wheeling, W.Va., Folk dancing, Greek, Festivals
Location:
Wheeling (W. Va.)
["Wheelings Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church has been hosting its annual Mahrajan Festival at Oglebay Park for over 85 years. The festival began in 1933 as a fundraiser to rebuild the church, which had been lost to fire the year prior. Activities at the Mahrajan festival include a vast spread of Lebanese food--including kibbee, tabbouli, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, saj bread, and various Lebanese cookies and desserts, a sale of handcrafted Lebanese items, live music, Lebanese dancing, and a liturgy.To learn more about Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, visit their website: http://www.ololwv.com/Also see interviews with church elders Carol Dougherty and Nick Ghaphery in the West Virginia Folklife Collection. The Dougherty interview is excerpted here: https://wvfolklife.org/2017/02/23/field-notes-carol-dougherty/"]%

23. Woman from the Maronite Catholic Church in Pittsburgh makes flatbread bread with zaatar on a saj (convex griddle) during the Mahrajan Festival at Oglebay Park, 1 of 3

Identifier:
4224.MahrajanFestival.Video.001.8.11.18
Title:
Woman from the Maronite Catholic Church in Pittsburgh makes flatbread bread with zaatar on a saj (convex griddle) during the Mahrajan Festival at Oglebay Park, 1 of 3
Date:
2018-08-11
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Wheeling, W.Va., Lebanese Americans, Festivals, Cooking, Lebanese, Food habits, Bakers, Bread, foodways, Oglebay Park (Wheeling, W. Va.)
Location:
Wheeling (W. Va.)
["Wheelings Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church has been hosting its annual Mahrajan Festival at Oglebay Park for over 85 years. The festival began in 1933 as a fundraiser to rebuild the church, which had been lost to fire the year prior. Activities at the Mahrajan festival include a vast spread of Lebanese food--including kibbee, tabbouli, stuffed grape leaves, hummus, saj bread, and various Lebanese cookies and desserts, a sale of handcrafted Lebanese items, live music, Lebanese dancing, and a liturgy.To learn more about Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Catholic Church, visit their website: http://www.ololwv.com/Also see interviews with church elders Carol Dougherty and Nick Ghaphery in the West Virginia Folklife Collection. The Dougherty interview is excerpted here: https://wvfolklife.org/2017/02/23/field-notes-carol-dougherty/"]%

24. Woman from the Maronite Catholic Church in Pittsburgh makes flatbread bread with zaatar on a saj (convex griddle) during the Mahrajan Festival at Oglebay Park, 2 of 3

Identifier:
4224.MahrajanFestival.Video.002.8.11.18
Title:
Woman from the Maronite Catholic Church in Pittsburgh makes flatbread bread with zaatar on a saj (convex griddle) during the Mahrajan Festival at Oglebay Park, 2 of 3
Date:
2018-08-11
Creator:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
foodways, Bakers, Bread, Cooking, Lebanese, Festivals, Food habits, Oglebay Park (Wheeling, W. Va.), Lebanese Americans, Wheeling, W.Va.
Location:
Wheeling (W. Va.)