With this exhibition Wooko Makandie aims to preserve the Okanisi culture in a whole new way and spread more knowledge and awareness of the culture among youngsters and others interested. The Okanisi are one of the marron populations from Surinam, fugitives from various slave plantations, now spread across borders through diaspora.
The NFT’s in the exhibition are based on traditional pangi patterns and photo’s of the Okanisi. The pangi is a long, rectangular cloth that women from the Okanisi marron community wrap around their waists to above their navel. The pangi’s are still worn today and have unique patterns. The photo’s where found in The Dutch National Archive. Generally made by Dutch missionaries. They’re beautiful but also confrontational in some cases. These photos are part of our exhibition, Hidden Colonial Heritage, Back to the People.
We want to inspire and collect stories that emerge out of this exhibition or those already existing about the culture. These stories will be bundled in NFT’s created by our visitors.