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2011 Recipient Hank Cramer
Humanities Washington Honors North Central Washington Storyteller
Hank Cramer
Methow Valley
Humanities Washington has awarded folksinger and storyteller Hank Cramer of the Methow Valley the 2011 Humanities Washington Award celebrating achievement in the public humanities. Cramer will receive the honor at a luncheon Sun Mountain Lodge July 22.
In his work, Cramer thinks a lot about the universal humanities theme of how individuals shape—and are shaped by—their journeys. “It all comes back to human stories,” he says. “Our history is important, where we came from is important. [It’s about] the recurring story of how different people face the same challenges over and over again, and how they find the answers to those challenges and how they pass them on.”
“In my presentations about the Oregon Trail,” Cramer says, “I use music as a medium to tell the stories of people and how they’ve met challenges and found the answers to their problems.” While Cramer appeals to audiences of all ages, he finds it particularly meaningful to perform for young people. “I like to share the stories of what people endured to come out here to make a living. It rivets young kids,”
he says.
Cramer believes in this unique power of the humanities to reach people (kids or adults) who otherwise might not pay close attention to something labeled as a history lesson.
“At the end of my performance, people enjoyed having a concert and a story. But in fact, they got a history lesson. But it didn’t taste like a history lesson,” he laughs.
For Cramer, the humanities blur the boundaries between his love of history, music and creative writing. “Humanities Washington has been a good role for me because my
presentations meld history, music and literature together. It’s a creative experience that I share with audiences around the state and they seem to like it. I’m very honored to get this award,” he says.
Hank Cramer takes pleasure knowing that when he reaches an audience through the humanities, the performance transcends mere entertainment. “Anytime you make people think,” he says with a chuckle, “I think you’re doing a good thing.”
