Inspired by the woodcarving art of the Maroons in Suriname, called Tembe and my love for African fabrics used for the traditional dress of the Kotomisi.

The Maroons are descendants of African slaves who escaped into the rainforest and formed their own settlements. Kotomisis are creole women in Paramaribo who wear beautiful multi layered cotton dresses for special celebrations.

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The exquisite woodcarving art called Tembe, are geometric shapes designed into symbols that the master woodcarvers use to express messages of love, gratitude and respect. The meaning of these symbols is kept secret by the master carvers who have this knowledge passed on to them by their forefathers. They in turn brought this knowledge with them when they were shipped out on the slave ships from Africa to Suriname during slavery, when Suriname was a Dutch colony.

 

I painted the first Hamaka Pot in 1998. Since then, they have evolved into these new series of colourful earthenware ceramics.

The inside rim of the large Pots is a nod to the selvedge of African print fabrics.