Presented by the Natal Quilters Guild “Seasons” National Quilt Festival [Click here to view Gallery]
How the Peace Quilt came about
In October 1993, a group of South African quiltmakers were visiting the USA. While looking through a book by Cuesta Benberry “Always There: The African-American Presence in American Quilts”, one of the quilts “Freedom Quilt” by Jessie Teltair, provided a spark which began a discussion about a Peace Quilt for South Africa.
This was left in suspension until 1995 when Odette Tolksdorf set out a proposal (for the Peace Quilt) to Colleen Roberts and the committee of “Seasons” Quilt Festival in Durban, who eagerly accepted the idea.
Pauline Law bravely agreed to be the co-ordinator of the project and sent out information worldwide and organized the “bricks” to be made up in quilts.
THE PEACE QUILT BRICKS:
Participants were asked to contribute to the “Wall of Peace” which would be exhibited at the “Seasons” South African National Quilt Festival in Durban in July 1996. This wall would be built of fabric Peace bricks – a concrete show of commitment to peace in the spirit of “Masakhane” (let us build together).
They were asked to send a rectangular fabric “brick” in colours of blues and whites. Any technique could be used with something on it that they related to peace. The creative, peaceful ideas abounded – personal and universal symbols of peace, inspiration from music, poems, people, events, landscapes and nature.
The response was fantastic – almost 800 bricks were received from 29 different countries around the world. Quiltmakers, artists, tapestry makers, school students and craft councils were some of those who participated in the project. People sent some warm and touching letters with the Peace bricks, extracts of which are included below.
The fabric “bricks” have been sewn into 26 quilts/panels for practical considerations and they all hang together as one exhibit. Denim was chosen as the front fabric, the “concrete” holding the bricks together, for its strength and universal appeal.
The Peace Quilt was exhibited at the National Quilt Festival in 1996 at the Durban City Hall for the first time, and continued to travel throughout South Africa, as well as to international quilt conventions in the USA, Austria and the UK, which was sponsored by the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology. Through negotiations by Inge Lailvaux, the quilt is now finally displayed in the concourse of the International Convention Centre in Durban – a fitting site as the ICC host many international events with attendees from across the globe.
Carol Brown (of “Curate-a-Space”) co-ordinated the cleaning and conservation of the 26 panels in 2014, which was undertaken by Neil Stuart-Harris, a preventative conservator of textiles from Durban.
THE PEACE QUILT BACKING FABRIC:
The blue and white printed fabric used for the quilt backing was chosen because of its distinctive South African tradition. It is popular and widely recognized fabric known by various names: “German print”, “Ujamani”, “Sis” and “Shwe-shwe”.
Indigo dyed cotton fabric was brought to South Africa by German settler women in mid 19th century and traders began importing this fabric from Europe. Xhosa women gradually also started using this fabric for clothing.
A German factory developed a cheaper synthetic indigo dye from the 1890’s and the fabric was manufactured in Czechoslovakia and Hungary. When this manufacturer immigrated to England in the 1930’s the fabric was then made in England under the “Three Cats” trade name. In 1982 Da Gama Textiles first started production of the German Print in South Africa, in the Eastern Cape, under the “Three Leopards” logo which is the African version of “Three Cats”. The recipe for the dye is a closely guarded secret and it is a synthetic, unlike the original indigo dyes.
The Peace Quilt project was enthusiastically supported and endorsed by the Natal Quilters Guild. Judging from the response not only in South Africa but from all corners of the world, the hope and prayers for peace is universally overwhelming.
COUNTRIES THAT CONTYRIBUTED PEACE BRICKS:
South Africa, Brazil, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Wales, Australia, France, Scotland, Canada, Germany, England, Holland, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, United States of America, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Uruguay, Japan, Switzerland, Israel, Austria, New Caledonia (South Pacific), Portugal and Swaziland.
THE QUILTMAKERS WHO SEWED THE “BRICKS” INTO QUILTS:
Pauline Law, Odette Tolksdorf, Ginny Koumantarakis, Inge Lailvaux, Leonie Muller, Helen McNulty, Judy Breytenbach, Beth Broodryk, Roseanne Simpkin, Lin Simpson, Allison Moorcroft, Ann Davis, Rosalie Dace, Zubi Paruk, Emilia Nel, Sue Funsten, Vereker Munro, Daphne Lawrence, Patsy Barwell and Pat MacKinley.
SPONSORS:
D’Nim Textiles, Hammarsdale – for denim
Zubi Paruk, Durban – batting and fabric
Nimble Fingers, Durban – batting
EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS:
Not only artists but also art and high school students, as well as the population, have been touched by this important project towards PEACE, showing their most profound desire of making it something real and tangible. We would like that the PEACE QUILT call the attention of politicians all over the world, so that they would lead us to fraternity and friendship among the nations. Heloisa Conceicao Innes, Association of the Centre for Contemporary Tapestry of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
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When I was born in 1941 it was World War 2. My father was in the war. He wrote to my mother: “If the baby is a girl, name her Irene – it means Peace.” He did not return from the war. Written on Peace Brick of Irene Kahmann, Germany.
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My peace block “Peace in Africa” is inspired by the work of Johan Mkhize (Chickenman) who lived and worked in Pietermaritzburg until his death in 1995. He was an unofficial artist in residence at the Tatham Art Gallery for many years, spoke only Zulu and was illiterate. The creative signs that he painted stopped people in their tracks. Odette Tolksdorf, Durban, SA.
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I chose to represent my hopes for a lasting peace in Bosnia, because my daughter-in-law is from Bosnia – our family has been closely touched by the war. Bernice Santor, London, Canada.
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As I am really aware that peace should be a very important matter for all of us, I send you my little “stone”. This wall is made with a soft (but not weak) material, in a technique symbolizing the patience, friendship and solidarity of many quilters from different countries, continents and cultures. Agnes Boute-Margot, Belgium.
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When I look for a little bit about peace in a newspaper or magazine then I become aware how seldom the word “Peace” is used in the news. Words with war and unrest, violence and hate seem to take up a lot more space. Pia Schull, Germany.
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On the day I designed this peace brick, the snow was falling peacefully, each flake so delicate and quiet, but what a mighty force when joined together. Mona Hendrickson, Anchorage, Alaska.
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If we as individuals would follow the Golden Rule which is do unto others as you want them to do towards you, peace would occur. That’s a powerful philosophy to live by for we must first respect ourselves, then each other and finally learn to feel and express agape love. Barbara Smith, Texas, USA.
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At the centre of the brick, a telephone card with a photograph of the 2 leaders of Israel and Jordan, shaking hands after signing the peace treaty 25-7-94, with the US President’s blessing. On the sides of the photo are holographic eyes – one is the human eye searching for peace, the other is the eye of Providence. “Seek peace and pursue it”, Psalms 34,15 is spelled out with buttons. Rachel Roggel, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Information and photos from the official brochure for the Peace Quilt Project presented by the Natal Quilters Guild “Seasons” National Quilt Festival, July 1996, Durban, South AfricaSAQG QTAC Study Guide 2023, p. 158-159
