Fashion a Patchwork Cape

Purpose

        To introduce students to the Saramaka and French Guiana Maroon tradition of patchwork designs (known as pisipisi) and to provide a hands-on experience that explores Suriname and French Guiana Maroon aesthetics.

Introduction

        In the second half of the 19th century, when the increased migration of Saramaka Maroon men to the Atlantic coast of Suriname had made cloth more widely available in Maroon villages, men and women began to experiment with the artistic possibilities of trade cotton. One popular style of decorative sewing that developed at the end of the century was the practice of cutting and joining pieces of cloth to create intricate patchwork compositions. Saramaka women called this technique pisipisi (bits and pieces sewing) and used it to make capes for their husbands to wear across one shoulder. The basic elements were small, square, triangular, and rectangular pieces of cloth in a variety of colors. Solid red, navy, and white were the most prominent colors, although many examples included other colors and patterns as well (such as striped patterns). The pieces were then sewed together to make a handsome cape.