Precious Jennings, an interdisciplinary artist from Charleston, led our students in making indigo dye from plants she had harvested by the South Carolina coast. After having prepared cotton fabric by folding, clamping, sewing, and tying, our students dipped their fabric into a large dye vat she prepared with them. Students learned about the unique history of indigo in South Carolina, its origins with enslaved individuals, and the varied ways that indigo can be used as a natural dye and an ecologically responsible alternative to chemical dyeing.
While the Upper Elementary and Middle School students dyed fabric using indigo dye, visiting artist Nina Jamison led the students in call-and-response singing, using songs from the Gullah Geechee culture. Ms. Nina taught students traditional West African dance, allowing students to learn arm movements and body movements separately before combining them into a traditional dance routine.
