Cultures & Communities

Cleveland Many Peoples One Language Poster

Furniture, cooking wares, clothing, works of art, and many other kinds of artifacts are part of what knit people into communities and cultures. The Museum’s collections feature artifacts from European Americans, Latinos, Arab Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, African Americans, Gypsies, Jews, and Christians, both Catholics and Protestants. The objects range from ceramic face jugs made by enslaved African Americans in South Carolina to graduation robes and wedding gowns. The holdings also include artifacts associated with education, such as teaching equipment, textbooks, and two complete schoolrooms. Uniforms, insignia, and other objects represent a wide variety of civic and voluntary organizations, including youth and fraternal groups, scouting, police forces, and firefighters.

Date: 2000s

carpenter's square

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.1199
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1199

San José

The santos collected by Teodoro Vidal were objects of religious devotion. Note the milagros tied to this base of the figure of San José. Saint Joseph is often depicted with his staff as he carries the Christ Child.Los santos coleccionados por el Sr.
Description
The santos collected by Teodoro Vidal were objects of religious devotion. Note the milagros tied to this base of the figure of San José. Saint Joseph is often depicted with his staff as he carries the Christ Child.
Description (Spanish)
Los santos coleccionados por el Sr. Vidal constituían verdaderos objetos de devoción religiosa. Obsérvense los milagros adheridos a la base de esta figura de San José. San José se representa a menudo con una vara, cargando al Niño Jesús.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
late 19th-early 20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.0849
catalog number
1997.0097.0849
accession number
1997.0097

Trinchante y Hacha

This hatchet and knife from the Hormigueros region were used in carving santos. The hatchet is 16 cm. long, and the handle is made of the native guayalote wood and has a hole pierced near the end. The knife has a 9 cm.
Description
This hatchet and knife from the Hormigueros region were used in carving santos. The hatchet is 16 cm. long, and the handle is made of the native guayalote wood and has a hole pierced near the end. The knife has a 9 cm. wooden handle carved into a spiral shape.
Description (Spanish)
Esta hacha y trinchante provenientes de la región de Hormigueros se utilizaban para el tallado de santos. El hacha tiene 16 centímetros de largo y el mango está hecho de madera nativa de guayabote y presenta una perforación cerca del extremo. El trinchante tiene un mango de 9 cm. de largo tallado en forma de espiral.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.0324
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.0324

Puyero de Güiro

In Puerto Rico, the güiro provides an essential rhythmic element in genres as distinct as the street-oriented plena, and the salon-oriented danza.
Description
In Puerto Rico, the güiro provides an essential rhythmic element in genres as distinct as the street-oriented plena, and the salon-oriented danza. This unusual güiro pick is in the shape of a human head.
Description (Spanish)
En Puerto Rico, el güiro aporta un elemento rítmico esencial a géneros tan distintos como la plena, de orientación callejera, y la danza, más de salón. El singular puyero de este güiro tiene la forma de una cabeza.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.1097
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1097

Maracas

This pair of maracas is made from the dried, gourd-like fruit of the calabash or higüero tree.
Description
This pair of maracas is made from the dried, gourd-like fruit of the calabash or higüero tree. Their construction and the painted words "Puerto Rico" indicate that they were produced as souvenirs or emblems of national identity rather than as functional musical instruments.
Description (Spanish)
Este par de maracas está hecho del fruto seco, en forma de calabaza, del higüero. Su construcción, así como las palabras pintadas "Puerto Rico", indican que se confeccionaron como recuerdos o emblemas de identidad nacional, más que con el fin de ejecutarse como instrumentos musicales.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.1084
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1084

Plato de Madera

Carved from a single piece of wood, this large and oblong shallow wood platter was probably used for drying coffee or serving sweets in the early 20th century.Este gran plato de madera oblongo y llano, tallado de una sola pieza, se empleaba probablemente para secar café o servir
Description
Carved from a single piece of wood, this large and oblong shallow wood platter was probably used for drying coffee or serving sweets in the early 20th century.
Description (Spanish)
Este gran plato de madera oblongo y llano, tallado de una sola pieza, se empleaba probablemente para secar café o servir dulces al comienzo del siglo XX.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
early 20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.0357
catalog number
1997.0097.0357
accession number
1997.0097

mask making sample

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
maker
Pagan, Leonardo
Pagan, Leonardo
ID Number
1997.0097.1171.002
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1171.002

"Just My Take: A Book of Poetry and Words of Wisdom"

“Just My Take: A Book of Poetry and Words of Wisdom,” was written by Hip hop artist MC Lyte (Lana Michelle Moorer), and published by Sunni Gyrl, in 2005.
Description (Brief)
“Just My Take: A Book of Poetry and Words of Wisdom,” was written by Hip hop artist MC Lyte (Lana Michelle Moorer), and published by Sunni Gyrl, in 2005. The book includes poetry and words of inspiration that Lyte hoped would "inspire teenagers and young ladies from the ages of 14-22."
MC Lyte was born in 1970 and raised in Brooklyn. She began rhyming and writing songs at the age of 12. Her first song was recorded in 1986, and by 1988 she became the first solo female rapper to release a full album, “Lyte as a Rock.” In addition to a recording career, MC Lyte has been featured on television, film, and voice-overs.
She describes her motivation for writing “Just My Take” as, “every morning I'd wake with the anticipation of writing down whatever moved me … Throughout my career I have been inspired by young people across America to speak up and out– and now it's my turn to hopefully inspire and motivate them at a time when few emcees are willing to give words of advice.”
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2005
maker
Sunni Gyrl, Inc.
ID Number
2006.0057.01
accession number
2006.0057
catalog number
2006.0057.01

Waylon Jennings

Waylon Jennings's first single, the Cajun song "Jole Blon," was produced by Buddy Holly in 1958. Jennings (1937-2002) moved to a more hardcore country sound by the 1970s.
Description
Waylon Jennings's first single, the Cajun song "Jole Blon," was produced by Buddy Holly in 1958. Jennings (1937-2002) moved to a more hardcore country sound by the 1970s. Rejecting slick commercial conventions of the time and demanding more control of his music, Jennings's professional and personal lifestyle personified what became known as the Outlaw Country movement.
Location
Currently not on view
negative
1975
print
2003
depicted (sitter)
Jennings, Waylon
maker
Horenstein, Henry
ID Number
2003.0169.029
accession number
2003.0169
catalog number
2003.0169.029

Toy Rooster

Sold mostly at craft and folk fairs, toys like this show how artisans on the island have creatively used and re-used rubber, metal, paper, and other natural materials.Juguetes como éste, que se venden en su mayoría en las ferias de artesanías y cosas típicas, son prueba del modo
Description
Sold mostly at craft and folk fairs, toys like this show how artisans on the island have creatively used and re-used rubber, metal, paper, and other natural materials.
Description (Spanish)
Juguetes como éste, que se venden en su mayoría en las ferias de artesanías y cosas típicas, son prueba del modo en que los artesanos recurrían a la creatividad para reutilizar el caucho, el metal, el papel y otros materiales naturales.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
maker
unknown
ID Number
1997.0097.1211
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1211

Maracas

This variety of maracas, made of cow leather and sinew, is used in musical genres like guaracha, son, and salsa. They are of different sizes, so that one is pitched higher and the other, lower.
Description
This variety of maracas, made of cow leather and sinew, is used in musical genres like guaracha, son, and salsa. They are of different sizes, so that one is pitched higher and the other, lower. In contrast, the Afro-Puerto Rican musical tradition known as bomba uses a larger, single maraca in its performances.
Description (Spanish)
Esta variedad de maracas, confeccionadas con cuero y tendón de vaca, se utiliza en la interpretación de géneros como la guaracha, el son y la salsa. Tienen distintos tamaños, de modo que una produce sonidos más agudos y la otra más graves. En contraste, para la interpretación de la música de tradición afro-puertorriqueña conocida como bomba se utiliza una sola maraca más grande.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
maker
Ramos, Ismael
ID Number
1997.0097.1098
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1098

Journal, used by MC Lyte

This journal was written by Hip hop artist MC Lyte, aka Lana Michelle Moorer, with entries beginning on January 7, 2001 and ending April 10, 2001. It has a purple cover and embossed with the word “Create” on the front.MC Lyte was born in 1970 and raised in Brooklyn.
Description (Brief)
This journal was written by Hip hop artist MC Lyte, aka Lana Michelle Moorer, with entries beginning on January 7, 2001 and ending April 10, 2001. It has a purple cover and embossed with the word “Create” on the front.
MC Lyte was born in 1970 and raised in Brooklyn. She began rhyming and writing songs at the age of 12. Her first song was recorded in 1986, and by 1988 she became the first solo female rapper to release a full album, “Lyte as a Rock.” In addition to a recording career, MC Lyte has been featured on television, film, and voice-overs.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2001
maker
Lyte, MC
ID Number
2006.0057.02
accession number
2006.0057
catalog number
2006.0057.02

Pava

The pava is the traditional hat used by sugar cane cutters, coffee pickers, and other agricultural workers. It is emblematic of the jíbaro (a Puerto Rican from the countryside) and the rustic traditions of the island's folkways.
Description
The pava is the traditional hat used by sugar cane cutters, coffee pickers, and other agricultural workers. It is emblematic of the jíbaro (a Puerto Rican from the countryside) and the rustic traditions of the island's folkways. The pava is so closely associated with the notion of authentic Puerto Rican culture that when Luis Muñoz Marín founded the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) in 1938, the party adopted the pava, as its symbol.
Description (Spanish)
La pava es el sombrero tradicional que usan los trabajadores del campo, tales como los cortadores de caña o los recolectores de café. Es emblemático de los jíbaros (puertorriqueños del campo) y de las costumbres rústicas de la isla. Se relaciona tan estrechamente con la cultura puertorriqueña que cuando Luis Muñoz Marín fundó el Partido Demócrata Popular (PDP) en 1938 el partido adoptó la pava como símbolo.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.1036.002
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1036.002

Marímbula

The marímbula, (also marímbola), is an African-derived folk instrument found across the Caribbean. Large enough for its player to sit on, this instrument consists of a large, resonating box with metal strips that are plucked to provide a simple bass accompaniment.
Description
The marímbula, (also marímbola), is an African-derived folk instrument found across the Caribbean. Large enough for its player to sit on, this instrument consists of a large, resonating box with metal strips that are plucked to provide a simple bass accompaniment. Its affordability, ease of construction, and portability (it can be strapped to its player like a marching drum), made it adaptable to many styles of folk music, from the roving aguinaldo of the Christmas season to a street-corner plena.
Description (Spanish)
La marímbula, o marímbola, es un instrumento derivado del folklore africano que puede hallarse en todo el Caribe. Es lo suficientemente grande como para que el intérprete pueda sentarse sobre él. Consiste en una caja de resonancia con flejes de metal que se puntean produciendo un simple acompañamiento de sonidos graves. Dado que se trata de un instrumento accesible, fácil de construir y de transportar (el intérprete puede colgárselo con una faja al igual que un tambor de marcha), se lo adaptó a diferentes estilos de música folclórica, desde el aguinaldo de la época navideña hasta la plena.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.0512
catalog number
1997.0097.0512
accession number
1997.0097

Funda de Almohada

Lace-making and sewing were more than utilitarian projects. They allowed young girls to express themselves artistically while learning discipline and attention to detail. This embroidered linen and lace pillow sham belonged to Miguel Roses at the turn of the 20th century.
Description
Lace-making and sewing were more than utilitarian projects. They allowed young girls to express themselves artistically while learning discipline and attention to detail. This embroidered linen and lace pillow sham belonged to Miguel Roses at the turn of the 20th century. Bird and flower designs surround the monogram in the center.
Description (Spanish)
El tejido de encaje no se consideraba únicamente como proyecto utilitario, sino también como una actividad mediante la cual las niñas podían expresarse artísticamente, a la vez que aprendían disciplina y atención al detalle. Esta ropa blanca bordada junto a la funda de almohada hecha en encaje pertenecieron a Miguel Roses a comienzos del siglo XX. Se observa el diseño de un pájaro y una flor rodeando el monograma central.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
user
Rosas, Miguel
ID Number
1997.0097.0158
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.0158

Canasta Colgante

This basket was bought in Luquillo in 1979. The hanging supports are made of bejuco, processed fiber from the century plant, or maguey. A large metal disk was placed around the top to keep rodents from crawling into it from above.
Description
This basket was bought in Luquillo in 1979. The hanging supports are made of bejuco, processed fiber from the century plant, or maguey. A large metal disk was placed around the top to keep rodents from crawling into it from above. Widely used in rural kitchens, it is called a canestillo in the center of the island and a barandillo in the north.
Description (Spanish)
Esta canasta colgante fue adquirida en Luquillo en 1979. Los soportes están hechos de bejuco, fibra procesada del maguey. Se colocó un disco de metal grande alrededor de la parte superior para evitar que se introdujeran los roedores. Se utiliza mucho en las cocinas rurales y se la conoce como canestillo en el centro de la isla y como barandillo en el norte.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
ca 1979
ID Number
1997.0097.1012
catalog number
1997.0097.1012
accession number
1997.0097

Herramientas De Coser

Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.0593.004
catalog number
1997.0097.0593.004
accession number
1997.0097

Cuatro

The modern cuatro is a five double-string guitar-like instrument used to play música jíbara, Puerto Rican country music.
Description
The modern cuatro is a five double-string guitar-like instrument used to play música jíbara, Puerto Rican country music. In this unusual example, the dried, woody fruit of the higüero tree, a material more commonly used in the fabrication of maracas or güiros, comprises the main body of the instrument. The archaic cuatro had only four strings (sometimes doubled), like the example here. In the early 20th century, Puerto Rican musicians on the northern part of the island revamped the cuatro and added up to six more metal strings to allow for heightened virtuosity.
Description (Spanish)
El cuatro moderno es un instrumento parecido a la guitarra, con cinco cuerdas dobles, que se usa para tocar música jíbara, es decir, música campesina de Puerto Rico. En este ejemplo poco usual, el cuerpo principal del instrumento está hecho con el fruto seco del higüero, material que por lo general se emplea en la fabricación de maracas o güiros. El cuatro arcaico estaba dotado de solo cuatro cuerdas (a veces dobles), como en este caso. A principios del siglo XX, los músicos del norte de Puerto Rico modernizaron el cuatro y le agregaron hasta seis cuerdas más que permiten destacar el virtuosismo el intérprete.
Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.1082
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1082

San Sebastián

Saint Sebastian was an early Christian martyr who, according to legend, was tied to a tree, shot with arrows, and left for dead. He not only recovered, but returned to preaching Christianity. For this, the Roman emperor Diocletian ordered him beaten to death.
Description
Saint Sebastian was an early Christian martyr who, according to legend, was tied to a tree, shot with arrows, and left for dead. He not only recovered, but returned to preaching Christianity. For this, the Roman emperor Diocletian ordered him beaten to death. He is almost always represented tied to a post and shot with arrows, thus making him instantly recognizable.
Description (Spanish)
San Sebastián fue un antiguo mártir cristiano, a quien según cuenta la leyenda, amarraron a un árbol, dispararon flechas y abandonaron dándolo por muerto. Sin embargo, no solo se recobró sino que regresó a promulgar el cristianismo. Por esta razón, el emperador romano Diocletian ordenó que se lo matara a golpes. Es fácil reconocer su imagen porque casi siempre se lo representa amarrado a un poste con flechas clavadas en el cuerpo.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
late 19th-early 20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.0696
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.0696

safety patrol belt

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
2000
user
Rogers, Katelyn
ID Number
2003.0256.02
accession number
2003.0256
catalog number
2003.0256.02

Herramientas De Coser

Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.0593.006
catalog number
1997.0097.0593.006
accession number
1997.0097

Güiro

A traditional güiro is made from gourd-like fruit of the higüero tree (Crescentia cujete) that is native to the region. This musical instrument, common throughout the Caribbean, takes on various forms and can be made from modern materials like metal or plastic.
Description
A traditional güiro is made from gourd-like fruit of the higüero tree (Crescentia cujete) that is native to the region. This musical instrument, common throughout the Caribbean, takes on various forms and can be made from modern materials like metal or plastic. A musical instrument of Pre-Columbian origin, it is played by scraping the carved ridges with the tines of a special pick or scraper.
Description (Spanish)
El güiro tradicional se hace con la calabaza del higüero, Crescentia cujete, que es un árbol nativo de la región. Este instrumento musical, común a todo el Caribe, se presenta de distintas formas y materiales, como de metal o plástico. Sus orígenes se remontan a la época precolombina. Se ejecuta raspando las ranuras talladas con las puntas de un puyero o raspador.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.1077
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1077

Mourning Fan

This collapsible woman's fan, made from wood and cloth, is painted black to show that the user was in mourning. In the 1800s, regardless of class, most people with families died at home, not in hospitals.
Description
This collapsible woman's fan, made from wood and cloth, is painted black to show that the user was in mourning. In the 1800s, regardless of class, most people with families died at home, not in hospitals. There, the deceased would be laid out in a room for friends and relatives to view the body and pay their respects. Family and friends then carried the coffin to the church and to burial.
Description (Spanish)
Este abanico plegable de mujer, hecho de madera y género, está pintado de negro para indicar que quien lo usa está de luto. A lo largo del siglo XIX, sin excepción de clase social, la mayoría de la gente con familia moría en la casa, no en el hospital. Se los acostaba en una sala donde los amigos y familiares podían ver el cuerpo y presentar sus respetos. Luego la familia y los amigos llevaban el ataúd hasta la iglesia y el lugar del entierro.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
late 19th-early 20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.1037
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1037

Barril de Bomba

This is a miniature version of the barril de bomba, the kind of drum used in performances of the Afro-Puerto Rican musical tradition known as bomba.
Description
This is a miniature version of the barril de bomba, the kind of drum used in performances of the Afro-Puerto Rican musical tradition known as bomba. While bomba can be used as the generic name for a number of rhythms, its real meaning is about the encounter and creative relationship between dancers, percussionists, and singers. Bomba is a community affair that still thrives in its traditional centers of Loíza, Santurce, Mayagüez, Ponce, and New York City.
Description (Spanish)
Esta es una versión en miniatura del barril de bomba, la clase de tambor que se utiliza para ejecutar la tradición musical afro-puertorriqueña conocida como bomba. Mientras que el término bomba se emplea como denominación genérica para cierto número de ritmos, su significado real proviene del encuentro y la relación creativa entre los bailarines, percusionistas y cantantes. La bomba es un evento de carácter comunitario aún vigente en los centros tradicionales de Loíza, Santurce, Mayagüez, Ponce y la ciudad de Nueva York.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
early 20th century
ID Number
1997.0097.1100
accession number
1997.0097
catalog number
1997.0097.1100

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