yurt

WHO IS YURTFOLK?

LuAnne and Brian

LuAnne Harley and Brian Kruschwitz are “Yurtfolk” and make their home in North Manchester, Indiana where they lived in a yurt for 10+ years, with their two children.

Their programs provide connections for those of all ages to many different cultures throughout the world and help create community through music, stories, and folk dance.  Creativity is nurtured and celebrated! They are fond of discovering great books to read as a family while traveling or at home.

Brian is a multi-instrumentalist, and enjoys learning and sharing about cultures from other parts of the world through their instruments and music. He delights in restoring old instruments, and creating his own out of what materials he has. Some highlights include restoring a balalaika (Russian guitar) discovered in playroom of an attic, using an old X-ray film to replace the head of his bongo drum, and harvesting a gourd from the garden for a Brazilian one-string percussion instrument called a "berimbau."

LuAnne accompanies Brian in story, song and dance. She brings her vocal harmonies, knowledge and affection for children's literature (for those of ALL ages to appreciate), culture, and ability to create community through music! She draws on a wide range of interests and working history, including that of Spanish teacher, traveling theatre member, library staff, language interpreter, camp administrator (with Brian), and study abroad director. She also loves to teach rounds! She enjoys travel and experiencing other cultures, writing plays, discovering children's books to be enjoyed by all ages, wool felting (still working on felting a miniature yurt) and accompanying others who wish to clean their attics....(she found the balalaika referred to above)


 

This yurt first housed a family of four in the state of Washington for four years. LuAnne and Brian traveled to Washington in 2005, met and stayed with the family as they took down the yurt together. Since the 2,500 mile journey felt too long to make by camel or oxcart (a typical way to move yurts in Mongolia), they rented a truck to haul their new home back to Indiana.