I may never come home after finding Atelier Raphia (Brazzaville) today, thanks to an invitation from my new friend, Sahar. This is a group of (today) six women whose creative synergy produces amazing items from colorful African fabrics and raffia. Some of you know I went a little overboard on raffia in Madagascar. Well, I am about to dive in again.
Here in Brazzaville there is no official international women's association. There are one or two small groups, including this one, who collaborate on a holiday bazaar (Marche Noel) and then donate the funds to charities they choose. So already I am completely and utterly in my element. Women from different countries, each with talent, giving things away. Plus coffee and cake. Life is good.
In addition to Sahar, who is married to the Egyptian ambassador to Congo, the group included Anna, a Polish woman who met her French husband (an EU official) in Luxembourg; Irina, wife of the director of the Russian Cultural Center and a native of Uzbekistan; Marianne, from Gabon and soon to be married in Libreville (see below); Gilma, from Colombia and married to an EU official from Italy; and me, the new kid, a visiting mom. We meet (I already feel it is my group too) in the large three room guest-house-turned-studio at Sahar's house twice weekly Monday and Wednesday mornings. One room is devoted to Sahar's painting, two to the crafts; there is also a kitchen with running hot water and sink and separate laundry space. There is, of course, a sewing machine and an ironing board!
The group is currently focusing entirely on a huge order from Marianne for her August 16 wedding in Libreville. She wants dinner table decor that looks African and will take guests' breath away. She has officially invited 100-150 people, which means they may have 300. Raffia placemat bordered in a specially selected fabric and matching napkins rings are being turned out by the dozen. I learned how to start the napkin rings today and got over two dozen started. I figured that was where I could do the least damage as a beginner. Plus it meant I could work with the raffia and get my hands all gluey and messy.
This atelier space would be the envy of even Sonia Rousmaniere, who has a fabulous jewelry atelier in Hollywood. Sahar is a painter as well as the Queen of Crafts. She is trying to get the various women's groups in Brazzaville organized into a non-profit and to grow it into the kind of larger organizations she knew in Romania and Brazil and I knew in Amsterdam and Yerevan. Then they will be able to offer a wider variety of activities, such as trips and classes.
In the meantime, they have produced wonderful items--tissue box holders, diaries, beautiful handbags, other placemats and napkins rings, gift wrapping accessories, and more. I mentioned to them that I had used raffia in MAD to make pillow covers, valences for windows, small handbags, and even an earring holder. I am salivating at the prospect of getting to the Marche Totale here in Brazza to buy more raffia, even though Anna told me today the place to buy it really cheap is in Djambala, Congo. Unfortunately the cost of transport to Djambala would overcome the savings on raffia, so I will be happy with the local prices.
As I sat observing part of the action today, I felt so at home.This was partly thanks to Sahar's hospitality and the welcome of others, but also because I know this scene. How wonderful to find it again in Central Africa!
You know this scene, indeed! You have crafted before. :) so thrilled to help you connect and to see this light in your eyes, even if I didn't get the crafty gene.
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