Angisa Workshop with Carlien Macnack (session 1)
Nieuwe Instituut is organising a series of workshops under the guidance of stylist and art teacher Carlien Macnack. In three consecutive workshops, she will teach participants how to prepare a traditional Afro-Surinamese angisa and how to fold and wear it in different ways. Along the way, Macnack explains the historical and cultural significance of the different folding and binding methods. The folded headscarf is a traditional means of communication and has been officially recognised as cultural heritage since 2014. Get close to living history and learn the language of textiles!
16 May 2024 16:00 - 19:00
Session 1
In the first session you will learn the basic folds using paper and cloth. You will practice folding the strik-ede and starching and ironing the cotton that you will use in the next session of the workshop.
NB. Participation in the three-part workshop is only possible if you can attend all the sessions! The three dates cannot be attended as separate training sessions.
Photo: Carlien Macnack
The angisa is more than just a fashion accessory. Traditionally, each way of folding, tying and wearing the headscarf has its own name and meaning. The tradition of angisa tying dates back to the 19th century and has been passed on from generation to generation. Carlien Macnack is an expert in this field. She will teach participants the basic techniques and some variations: from starching and ironing the cloth to the final angisa forms of strik-ede, feda, let-them-talk and Frans-ede.
- The three workshop sessions will be held on the following Thursdays: 16, 23 and 30 May, 2024
- The workshops will last three hours each, from 18:00 to 21:00.
- The cost of the three-part course is €60.
- Participants are asked to bring their own angisa or other square cotton cloth measuring 80x80 or 90x90 cm.
Portrait of Carlien Macnack. Photo: Farida Sedoc
The background
Many Surinamese people came to the Netherlands around the time of Suriname’s declaration of independence in 1975. They brought their history, culture and traditions with them. Since then, women from the Afro-Surinamese community, as kotomisi, have had an undeniable place in the shared cultural history in the Netherlands. The traditional costume of the kotomisi (meaning women who wear a koto), consists of the dress known as the koto and the angisa. Special variations are worn on important occasions such as birthdays, funerals and cultural gatherings. To this day, for a large number of Afro-Surinamese women in the Netherlands, traditional dress represents a celebration of solidarity, memories and shared origins. In order to keep this tradition alive in the Netherlands, the SVB (Bijlmermeer Surinamese women’s foundation) nominated the making of the koto and tying the angisa as cultural heritage. They have been included in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Netherlands since 21 June 2014.
Language: Dutch | Location: Nieuwe Instituut | €60,- for three sessions
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