Two dazzling exhibits coming to Diggs
A 'Waiting for a Vision: Photographs of the South Carolina Sea Islands,' and
? 'Haiti: Flesh of Politics/Spirit of Vodun (Voodoo),' the post-Duvalier era
An old religious custom sur
vives on the sea islands between
Charleston and Savannah. Before
being allowed to join one of the tra
ditional churches, prospective mem
bers must leave home and live for a
time in the open woods away from
other people. The candidate must
wear a white cloth or string tied
around his or her head to let others
know to respect the solitude of the
person "waiting for a vision." Each
day, an appointed deacon of the
church delivers food and water and
listens to a recounting of the previ
ous night's dreams. Eventually, the
deacon recognizes evidence of the
salvation in one of the dreams and
reports back to the preacher that the
prospective member is fit to be bap
tized and welcomed into full mem
bership in the church.
This tradition and others will
be portrayed visually at Diggs
Oallery at Winston-Salem State
University July 1 to August 29 with
the new exhibit, NWaiting for a
Vision: Photographs of the South
Carolina Sea Islands." An opening
reception will be held Wednesday,
July 1 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Waiting for a vision is one of a
number of African traditions that
have survived in some of the sea
islander communities. Islanders knit
circular casts nets to catch shrimp
and mullets in marshy salt-water
creeks, build flat-bouomed oyster
boats called bateaus and small
shrimp boats called knuckle boau ,
and know how to weave coiled bas
kets from bullrushes and sea grass.
They plow their garden plots, with
horses called marsh tackies and
older people sing and tell stories in
a Creole dialect called Gullah ,
which incorporates hundreds of
West African words into southern
English.
' Many seas islanders live on for
mer plantation land and overgrown
ruins of tabby (a primitive concrete
made from burned oyster shells)
mark the sites where their ancestors
worked as slaves. Unfortunately, the
traditions of the sea island people
are currently threatened by intense
coastal resort development
As property values climb, taxes
and new residential construction are
forcing many sea islanders to aban
don their independent, self-suffi
cient folkways, move to inland
urban centers or else, wear the uni
forms of golf course or hotel per
sonnel and work much as their ante
"Bossou," tha bull Is tha to a (spirit) of tha fertility of tha soil,
Vodun Flag by YVaa Talamarc, glass beads and aaqulns on cloth.
? I
nOQwf RRinwyi ? ??hk uoniwrBOo Drown wvonuny ui? ? ivoi in ivs
Bataau-Boat, St Halana Island, S.C., 1M8," black and whlta photo
graph.
bell urn ancestors did, in the service
of a new leisure class.
The exhibition, "Waiting* for a
Vision," includes 33 black and
white photographs by photographer
Roger Manley. Man ley is a free
lance curator, folkfcrist and photog
rapher from Durham.
Also coming to Diggs Gallery
is an exhibit of dazzling voodoo
flags and political photographs from
Haiti, July 1 lo August 29. The
exhibit, "Haiti: Flesh of Politics/
Spirit of Vodun (Voodoo)," will
explore the post-Duvalier era in
Haiti, the poorest country in the
Western Hemisphere. -
In the United States, vodun has
been grotesquely distorted by the
movie industry which helps perpet
uate a stereotypic attitude toward
sequined vodun flags in the Exhibit
present objects rarely seen in the
U.S., ine visual images of the living
gods of vodun.
Sal Scalora, curator of the
exhibit and the director of Atrium
Gallery at the University of Con- ,
necticut, has had a longtime interest jj
in the Haitian people. Moved by the
suffering of the Haitians at the
hands of the Duvaliers, he became
fascinated with their folk religion
vodun.
"Vodun, which controls the
religious and social aspects of
Haitian life, is a positive, protective
force in the lives of Haitians. Some
experts say that Haiti and vodun are
inseparable," Scalora says.
In the U.S., vodun is often dis
torted and Scalora says these depic
tions perpetuate a stereotypic, racist
. attitude toward religion emphasiz
ing witchcraft and voodoo dolls. He
hqpes the exhibit gives validity by
replacing myths with reality.
Yodun is rich in symbols and
history. Rooted in ancient African
rites snd developed over thousands
of years, Vodun was forced under
ground once brought to the New
World by slaves. The slaves accept
ed the Christian saints as counter
parts to their African spirits; St.
Patrick for Damballah, the Virgin
Mary for Erzulie and St Peter for
Legba. The images of the gods
depicted on the vodon flags on
exhibit are an integral part of the
vodun religion, says Scalora, who
has witnessed several vodun cere
monial rites.
There will be an opening recep
tion Wednesday, July 1, from 6 to 9
at the gallery. The evening also
Will include live music and a slide
lecture by Scalora titled, "Haiti:
Walking on Fire, Politics and Reli
gion." The gallery hours are Tiles
day through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5
pan. Events are free and open to the
public.
Craft and Art Classes for all ages
Call 723-7395 today.
SIUITOOTH CENTER 0h
7& llA&Ct PIacc to QauXl WinsforvSotem . NC 27 101 9 1 9- 723- 7395
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The World Stage Premiere
.IiiIy 17 - August Hi
The SI ovens ('enter, Winston-Salem
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For Ticket
Information
call
(919) 721-1945
(919) 721-1946
USAir
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Dance troupe and
This week, I am continuing my
series of articles highlighting the
extensive number of cultural and
arts organizations in our communi
ty. I hope to provide you, as a read
er, an in-depth view into these orga
nizations and the chance to see what
they offer to our community and
you as an individual. This week I
am highlighting two organizations
in the area.
: Dancers Unlimited
Dancers Unlimited was found
ed in April of 1981 by Wyenia
Matthews, the choreographer, pro
ducer and director of the organiza
tion. Initially formed to expose
youth from economically disadvan
taged backgrounds to all forms of
dance, Dancers Unlimited's goal
was to provide an alternative to the
streets, drugs and trouble with the
art form of dance.
While the main focus is on the
art of dancing, academic excellence
is also required. Participants are
required to maintain at least a "C
average in order to remain in the
group.
Approximately 500 young peo
ple have matriculated through
Dancers Unlimited since its begin
nings in 1981. There have been
seven recitals throughout the years
and the group's repertoire now
included approximately 300 dance
routines.
The age range for those who
can participate in the group is wide.
Children of all ages are invited to
participate and it is not unusual to
have children four years of age
learning to dance as well as
teenagers. Each child is instructed
in tap, ballet, modern and interpre
tative dance. The practice sessions
are held each Saturday between the
hours of 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Classes
begin in September and end with a
. culminating dance recital in May.
There is a $15 regiimtoe tm and
I students should cone
arts center
learn all forms of dance. This year
there will be courses offered in
baton twirling, tumbling, modeling
and voice.
Dancer's Unlimited's most
recent recital was held May 16 at
the Kenneth R. Williams Auditori
and wood.
The Sawtooth Center for Visual
Art offers classes year-round and
during the summer. When all the
children have gone home, the
evenings belong to the adults. What
better way to get back in touch with
ArtsReach
By REGGIE JOHNSON
um at Winston-Salem State Univer
sity. The evening featured 33 dance
routines including: Trouble of the
World, Pass Me Not by Hammer,
Remember The Time by Michael
Jackson, Black and White, Unfor
gettable, Nature Boy, Liberian Girl
and a Little Mermaid/Beauty and
the Beast selection.
The long range goal of this
organization is to perform with the
Wmston-Salem Symphony Orches
tra and travel nationally and inter
nationally as a dance troupe. Volun
teers are desperately needed at this
point in the development of
Dancers Unlimited. Donated
rehearsal space is also needed by
the group for its Saturday practice
session.
If you want to be of assistance
lo the Dancers Unlimited or want to
find out more information about it,
call Wyenia Matthews at 744-1992.
Tt* Sawtooth Canter
for Visual Ait
The Sawtooth Center for Visual
Art continued a 46-year tradition of
quality art and craft instruction by
offering over 500 courses to nearly
6j00& students. Children and adults
the creative inner child than burying
your hands in a lump of wet clay,
learning to weave a basket, or just
sitting down with paper snd pencil to
share some quiet time with a still life.
Adult summer classes at the
Sawtooth Center will begin the
week of July 13 with courses and
short workshops in ceramics, draw
ing, painting, weaving, basketry.
Jewelry fabrication, casting, stained
glass, glass blowing', photography
? and more.
For the adventurous, the Saw
tooth also plans a four week land
scape watercolor painting class.
Artistic adventurers can take a
weekend workshop in painting on
slides transparencies with photo
artist Fred McGann. Other work
shops include pastel portraiture and
a repeat of Taux for Fun/ a popu
lar faux finishes workshop
The Sawtooth Building is open
weekdays from 8 a.m. to 9*30 pjn.
and Saturdays torn 9 ajn. to 5 p.m.
For more information about the
Sawtooth Center call 723-7395.
highlighted
"The Pursuit of Happiness... "
Saturday, July 4
C4INGCW NEWS AND CATC
will offer a special Independence Day
menu. Dine with us or bring your own
basket and we'll pack it full of delicious
all-American picnic fare, including Hazelnut
Baked Chicken, Dijon Potato Salad, Rich
Brown Sugar Baked Beans, Deviled Eggs,
Cole Slaw, Our Famous Killer Brownies,
and of course, Apple Pie!
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