Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Fabric Commentary



My friend Nora, the med student who is spending a year in Mali, sent me a length of this charming fabric which honors our president. Her accompanying note said: "I hope you like this Obama fabric. It's so Malian -- there is a fabric for everything -- a fabric for the gynecology conference, the rotary club, TB prevention week . . . and people make coordinated outfits with all of it and wear it to the prescribed event or during the aforementioned week. Amazing. 200 gynecologist in matching purple skirt/shirt or pant/shirt ensembles."



It's wonderful to think of people so far away celebrating our president, wearing his smiling face and sporting the American flag as they walk along dusty roads under African skies.

I see it as a hopeful sign. . . a very hopeful sign.

And now I have to decide how best to use my bit of cross-cultural material -- some sort of quilted wall hanging . . . hmmm . . .

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9 comments:

Miss_Yves said...

"o" is for "Obama"!
This kind of tissue lookd like indonesian "batks"
Thanks for your kind words on my blog .(But I fear my translations countains some mistakes !)

Miss_Yves said...

"looks like", of course
And "batiks "!I need spectacles !

Vicki Lane said...

If only these comments allowed one to go back and edit! I'm always making silly mistakes.

Your translations are still most helpful! I had only one brief class in French, and that was in 1963! I'm slightly better in Spanish but only slightly.

The fabric was made, I believe in South Africa -- but it does indeed remind me of Indonesian batik.

Tess Kincaid said...

LOVE it!!!! I hope it's a good sign, too.

Carol Murdock said...

HOPE...it's all we have at this point and I think It is going to be enough!
Carol

Vicki Lane said...

It's a start!

Thanks for stopping by, Willow and Carol!

Susan M. Bell said...

The election of President Obama (still love saying that) brought hope to so many around the world. I'm still thrilled over it all...so glad it happened in my lifetime. I envy you that little swatch of fabric and can't wait to see what you make from it.

(The only bad thing about Obama's election is the huge amount of pressure he has on him...more than any other president in history I'd imagine.)

Nana said...

Hooray! I'm so glad you got the fabric. I gave it to Paul's sister to mail when we met her in Senegal. My friends Amelia and Abdoul Salaam have whole outfits made of it that they proudly wear around.

Vicki Lane said...

Susan -- what a pleasure it is to have people in other countries LIKING our government for a change!

Nora -- I sent you an email -- maybe I used an old address. But anyway, I'm thrilled with this fabric -- thank you so much for thinking of me! And keep up the good work and take care of yourself~ xox, V