Norman Kennedy: Waulking, Stories and Song

We are thrilled to welcome international legend, Norman Kennedy to the folk school!

This will be a night like no other, as Norman blends craft, story, and song.

Norman Kennedy was born in Scotland, into a family of shipbuilders and merchant seamen. He learned Scottish and Gaelic songs, stories and folklore from family members and neighbors, and began learning the skills of the last of the local handweavers. He learned to card, spin, and weave wool, using traditional methods – including waulking the cloth.

Norman moved to the USA in 1966 and since that time he has kept alive the singing and weaving traditions. For six years he was the master weaver at the living history museum at Colonial Williamsburg. He also founded the Marshfield School of Weaving in Vermont in 1976. In 2003, Norman was awarded the NEA (National Endowment for the Arts) National Heritage Fellowship for his work in preserving the traditions of Scottish ballads and handweaving.

To start the evening, the audience will be invited to join Norman, to ‘waulk the tweed’:

After a short break, Norman will share stories and songs, as he weaves the the traditions into a story of hope for our future.

For more information about Norman Kennedy, visit:
http://www.mastersoftraditionalarts.org/artists/173?selected_facets=tradition_exact:Weaver