A Siddi woman in western India works on a quilt while sitting on her verandah. The Siddi are descendents of enslaved Africans who were brought to India. The Gallery of Design, in the School of Human Ecology, will display "Stitching History," an exhibit of Siddi quilts, Friday, Aug. 26, to Sunday, Sept. 25, 2005. "The Siddis have adapted, adopted and integrated many cultural aspects of the Indian peoples with whom they have lived for generations. They also have retained and transformed certain cultural and artistic traditions from Africa," says professor of art history Henry Drewal, who helped the quilters establish a Siddi Women's Quilting Cooperative in 2004. Image credit: courtesy Henry Drewal Photo date: March 2004

This crib-sized baby quilt was made by Siddi women, descendants of Africans enslaved by the Portuguese, Dutch, English, French and Americans and brought to India. Cradles typically hang from the rafters in Siddi homes. The Gallery of Design, in the School of Human Ecology, will display "Stitching History," an exhibit of Siddi quilts, Friday, Aug. 26, to Sunday, Sept. 25, 2005. Image credit: courtesy Henry Drewal Photo date: January 2005

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