Reflecting a Diaspora: In-between Whitework and Indigo

Abstract

Homi Bhabha’s “third space” theory provides a framework for deconstructing identity and creating new forms of expression in a space considered “in-between” cultures or boundaries. An Indian-embroidered English christening garment represents a multigenerational economic migration for a “self-portrait”-style investigation. This gown materializes a subjective narrative of the legacy of British colonization, postcolonization, and apartheid rule in South Africa. The stitch craft and associated cultural history of whitework reveal traces of the impact of class and colonial status barriers. In parallel, a trusted cotton indigo fabric iShweShwe¹ is frequently worn in the post-apartheid, postcolonial nation. iShweShwe’s cross-cultural heritage includes links to German/Hungarian BlauDruk fabric and the English colonial cotton export trade. Cultural associations have crossed ethnicity barriers and the entrenched colonial color and class discriminatory practices. This preliminary research questions the experiences of the multigenerational migrants linked to the gown and the accompanying insider–outsider dislocated experience of a migrant influenced by colonial rule and decolonization in India and South Africa.

Keywords:

• hybridity
• whitework
• indigo
• iShweShwe
• dislocation
• migration
• colonial rule
• decolonization
• textile and place

Notes

Notes

1 “iShweShwe” is a colloquial southeastern Cape name for the resist blue print fabric (a familiar term for the fabric known to the author). It is referred to as “ShweShwe” by the British Museum and the Da Gama Textiles websites. Leeb-du Toit refers to a Zulu name isishweshwe. She expands on other colloquial and historical names (2017, 1).The author has embroidered onto a fragment of cloth from the Da Gama Textiles, Three Cats range of ShweShwe cloth (Figure 2).

2 Chikanwalas (embroiderers) obtain meager piecework payment for Chikan embroidery (Irwin and Hall 1973 186–187). Ayrshire embroiderers were poorly compensated for their specialist and highly skilled piecework embroidery. Embroiderers lived in tough economic conditions (Bryson 1989, 13–21).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mona Craven

Mona Craven is a fine artist and postgraduate textile research student in the School of Crafts and Design at the University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, United Kingdom. Her research focuses on the spaces in-between cultures, as identified by Homi Bhabha in his “third space” theory. She is influenced by economic migration, colonization, and decolonization. Reflecting on the cultural points of contact, in a cross-media practice, Mona integrates digital processes with hand-stitching to emphasize elusive traces and fragility. [email protected]