The blog of nogaya's
AFRICAN DIASPORA IN INDIA QUILTERS COMMUNITY
THE STORY There are between 15 000 to 20 000 persons of African origin in India whose ancestors were brought over from Africa by the Europeans to serve as slaves or soldiers for the Moguls in the 15th century.
They have been converted to different religions and depending on where the communities and villages are located, they can either be Muslims, Christians or Hindus.
THE ART WORK This most rare and intriguing group have retained certain cultural and artistic characteristics from Africa.
After long days in the fields, the women hand make quilts that are unlike any others in India.
In fact, they are most similar to those made by African American slaves in the 18 and 19th centuries or to the traditional quilts made by Ethiopian women today.
COLLECTORS' ITEMS The quilts are remarkable pieces. They can serve as throws, wall hangings or baby crib blankets.
RITUAL USAGE Traditionally they were made for the birth of a baby from the Saris of many generations of women in the community. They were used to welcome the new life into the world and wrap the baby into a mantel of feminine love and protection spawning time.
84 year old Mary with her queen size quilt
THE QUILTS They are remarkable. They can serve as throws, wall hangings or baby crib blankets.
Traditionally they were made for the birth of a baby from the Saris of many generations of women in the community. They were used to welcome the new life into the world and wrap the baby into a mantel of feminine love and protection spawning time.
A RARE COLLECTOR'S ITEM
Originals They are made from the scraps of new unused material gathered from the villages' tailors.
Nogaya World We bought 100% cotton material hand-woven or hand-printed by other women groups and took them to the African Diaspora in India women to quilts. The result: a quilt with as many as 8 communities having worked at the product.
Average size single quilt: 2' X 3'
PRICE USD$ 750.00 per piece
The quilts take one month on average to make. They are entirely handmade. The women work at them one hour every day after their hard work in the fields. They receive the equivalent to one month salary full time field work for each quilt.
nogaya is a social business. We are a distribution system that allows these women to sell to you. We provide this marketing to our groups for free.
Each quilt comes with the name of the artisan who made it
and a label about the community and nogaya's mission
