This is the fabric factory, not the white building in the back but the shack in the front. The only sign that we were in the right place was the fabric drying on the ground in this dirt parking lot with rocks on each corner to weigh it down. We walked into this building and I was transported back hundreds of years. Imagine if you will... It was very dark and very humid. Fabric was everywhere. Shirtless men were standing over boiling pots of dye, stirring while they’re sweating in the African heat captured and doubled by this non-vented structure. A man was stamping african symbols on fabric with wax. There is nothing modern here to bring me back to the 21st century.They all look up to see the white people and when I look down I see machetes on the wooden table next to me. My heart started to pound as my American cultured brain starts sending the signals...”Run, get out of there while you still can.” So, of coarse I pull all my courage from all the hidden places in my body and give them my big ol’ yankee smile and wave. Then, true to their nature, they all smile and say "hello" and I once again feel safe with my new African friends.
This is Bulla. She owns the fabric factory. She lives across the street. We went to her house and search through all kinds of fabric that was piled everywhere. She was so happy that we had taken such a interest in her work. She wanted me to buy this fabric but I asked her what the symbol meant and she said it would bring me much fertility. I said “I don’t want that anymore so I better get something else. Do you have anything that means...No more baby”
The man with us said he was her son but then we learned she just loved him like a son. He lives in West Virginia (I think) but his wife and children live in Ghana. Well, lived. He had come back for his wives funeral. Tammy said it was common for the husband to live in America and only come home to his family maybe once a year. He was pretty happy and spoke about it very matter-of-factly. He wanted to talk business with Ryan and exchange contact information. After we left we were sure he was going to show up on our doorstep in Utah in the next year.
The way the fabric is done is pretty cool. They dye the fabric a color then stamp it with wax to make a design. Then when it cools they dye it in a different color, the wax protects the fabric from that color. When they wash it the wax comes off and you have a cool design. They can do the steps over and over to get all sorts of creative fabrics they even cover all the fabric with wax then crack it and then dye it to get another cool pattern.
I bought alot ( I thought, but now that I am home I want more so Tammy...You better stock up because I am raiding your bags when you get back)
No comments:
Post a Comment