Introduction: The region’s independent spirit lives in the stories of pioneer heritage so celebrated by residents in material and verbal arts, and at festivals. Native Americans, Latinos, and others whose folklife was previously hidden now vie for a place in representing this region.

Encounters: The first confrontations between Native Americans and westward settlers were more strained and often bloodier in southern Oregon than in other parts of the state.

Pioneers: The value of pioneer resourcefulness is continually evoked in the region’s folk arts.

Hispanic Heritage: The contemporary Latino community in the region connects with the Hispanic presence that preceded Euro-American settlement.

Cultural Preservation and Innovation: Geographies blur as old world experience is carried to the new world and comes to life again in southern Oregon.

The Layers of "Folk": All histories and art forms are local and part of larger narratives that enclose them. Sometimes vernacular forms break the enclosure and challenge the dominant cultural narrative. Local narratives interact with and sometimes change broader regional and national stories of who we are.