TITLE: Moengo Magic souvenirs
YEAR: 2014
LOCATION: Moengo, Suriname
DURATION: 3 months

Can you teach old traditions to the ones living that culture?
When we compare the images from the books on Maroon culture with the current situation, we are shocked. A flat screen is seen more frequently than the famous wood carving or tembe painting. Made in China is more respected than made in Moengo. What outsiders call the Maroon identity appears to be a forgotten habit. Without being replaced by another clear conception of what or who Maroons are. Drawing on Western aesthetic concepts when teaching feels not ok. Perhaps it is a better idea to examine their own traditions.

Within the structure of the Tembe Art Studio (TAS) we teach children three days a week. Drawing and craft lessons. Twice in the village of Moengo itself and once a week in the surrounding villages. We try to make what we do fit in with their everyday practice: it must have a connection with use and experience. As in the original culture everything had a relationship with reality. It was not 'doing culture' as a separate experience or activity, as we are used to.

At the beginning of the work period we make a curriculum, based on the concepts sense of place, sense of identity and sense of heritage. Concepts we use in projects to get a grip on complex cultural structures.
With the concepts we explore the place around their house. Show books about other Maroons and about our background, the Netherlands. Show films and photos of their village in the past.

In the lessons with the children we try to use old techniques, translated into present day crafts. The traditional scratching in the inside of a gourd is replaced by scratching the same motifs in the black coating of a signed calabash. This way maybe a kind of tactile memory of traditional techniques is installed.

In addition, we offer the technical and conceptual side of drawing: line and plane, portrait, drawingless drawings, traces, actions. The talent among the children is unmistakable.

We encourage working together on one work because we notice that children are fighting a lot. Compliments first led to anger against the one praised. We become very generous with 'very well' 'beautiful' 'great'. Which is easy, they and they 're work often are exacly that.: great!