All images by Camilla Campbell
The Heritage Ceramics Project
The widow of a former teacher, senior lecturer and Principal of an Institute of Higher Education gave all the money donated to the memory of her husband at his funeral, to finance an educational project administered through The Trust.
After giving careful consideration to the wishes of the benefactor and gaining her consent, the trustees decided to use the donation to support an exciting project within a secondary school, the objective of which was to help children gain a rich insight into African culture through the creative processes of sculpture, ceramics and jewellery. The project involved pupils of all ages working with highly trained practising African artists and designers. The Trust recognized the influence that this project could have upon many subjects within the curriculum as well as adding significantly to the children’s life and social skills.
The project enabled 186 children to become aware and sensitive to the rich and varied traditions of an African culture. Both the staff and pupils appreciated the project because the school is removed from the diversity of culture now developing in many larger cities throughout the country.
Tony Ogoga and Olusoga David addressed a morning assembly and invited some of the pupils and members of staff to dress in various African prints, drapes and head-dresses and who were also given traditional regalia representing their respective status in society.
During the workshops not only did the pupils delight in making masks and sculptures of figures with expressive faces and gestures, many suggesting family relationships, they also made pendants to accompany their work in textiles.
The children learnt a great many craft skills including those of tie-dyeing and batik as methods of decorating fabric but more fundamentally much more about a culture from another continent.