Historie of Quilts
An excerpt from the history
Quilts have been around for several hundert years. At one point in time you could find these bequtiful artsy quilts in every household. Unfortunatly today very little people know what a quilt is and they are rarely found anywhere. We from Ney and Niq would like to see more quilts in the world and would also like to pass on the knowledge that will help to create more quilts.
Right now lets do a little time travel to the past. As so often in human history, we are traveling back to difficult times. Times in which some of us were not only not considered human, but also got taken away their freedom. They were slaves.
(Arthur Rothstein/Gee's Bend/Alabama/April 1937)
This is not a political story. It is a story about creating Art under terrible circumstances, that deeply insoired us.
The economy in the United States of America is on the uprising and the tabacco and cotton industry needs a lot more workers. To satisfy the market, the African market continent is invaded and thier people are taken. They are people with deep brown skin and they have beliefs than the american people. These differences make it fairly easy for americans to take away their freedom and treat them like animals. The african slaves endure terrible things and are forced to work until their bodies give out.
With their entrance into the United States of America, the land of the free, they lose their freedom.
A lot of years go by and a grusum war ensuse, to free the african people of their misery. Unfortunately when wars end the people are still surrounded by its consequenses and also the still carry the war in their hearts.
"If you can't fly, then run
if you can't run, then walk
if you can't walk, then crawl
But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward."
Martin Luther King Jr.
Nevertheless, change starts happening. Slaves are now called „black“ and they have to fight the psychological and social political consequences of the war. The former slaves do not give up. Slowly but surely they fight for their rights as human beings. One of their first big achievments, is that they are allowed to be sharecropper and serve their on fields. Unfortunatly they have o do this under the worst circcumstances and are barely able to survive.
They are given small cottages with no wood for heating, furnature or even proper clothing. Times are very hard and life is all about survival. Eventhough the former slaves have nothing, they don‘t give up. Absolutly not! In times of such duress, they become creative. Because they have so liitle, every liitle thing counts. Leftover fabric pieces that are normally thrown away by others are now being reused and put together to create quilts. These quilts are neccesary and are being used as blankets, beds and to give warmth. These beautifuly put together quilts, also bring color inside the dark homes and create a more homey environement.
(Arthur Rothstein/Gee's Bend/Alabama/April 1937)
We will go further in time. Now the black Afrikan slaves are African-Americans. Still they are fighting for basic human rights, such as equality. They have formed social and political groups. Among them are great speakers and freedom fighters who will bring forward their movement and protests, which will change the world forever.
Not only will these protests change everything for the better, but also the african american culture will spreed threw the world like a wildfire. Now being black means more then just having black skin. The african american culture is now known for goog things such as soulfood, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. And so much more. What was once born during extremly hard times, today is celebrated all over the world.
Which is exactly what we want to support. We want to celebrate what others who came before us have created. We want to teach their knowledge of quilting all across the globe.
(Arthur Rothstein/Gee's Bend/Alabama/April 1937)