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Sarai Mugare; Weya Cloth

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QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-889

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

00.0653

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

2000:30.1

Object label:

Sarai Mugare
Robert Magurambe
Zimbabwe
2000
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2000:30.1

Essay:

This is a "Weya" cloth, a distinctive style of appliqued pictorial textile done by women in the Weya, a rural area in Zimbabwe. Artists chose stories or themes that reflect their experiences, beliefs, and attitudes.

Though Weya appliques are traditionally done by Weya women in Zimbabwe, this piece was attributed in Harare to a Weya man.

This piece tells the sad story of a woman who hung herself after her husband beat her and left her for a second wife.

In each panel are human figures and other images, appliqued onto the story of what is going on in the story cloth.
"1) John was married but he fall for a girl;"
"2) The girl was pregnant and she eloped, with auntie's company;"
"3) When the wifes were staying , one day they fought for their husband (shanje);"
"4) John loved the young wife most so he hit the older wife;"
"5) one day when John and his young wife were resting behind the hut, the older wife thought of running away;"
"6) On her way she turn to hear her life, then in the thick forest she commited suicide, with the word (Sarai Mugare)."

From Great Lakes, Great Quilts.

Quilt's title:

Sarai Mugare

Subject of the quilt:

Spousal abuse

Names for quilt's pattern in common use:

Weya Cloth

Quilt top made by:

Magurambe, Robert

Quilted by:

Magurambe, Robert

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Received as a gift

Where the quilt was made, city:

Harare

Where the quilt was made, country:

Zimbabwe

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

2000

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Male

Quiltmaker's city:

Harare

Quiltmaker's country:

Zimbabwe

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

African Weya

Quiltmaker's father's ethnic/tribal background:

African Weya

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

23"

How long is the quilt?

35"

Shape of edge:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Black; Blue; Cream; Gold; Green

Overall color scheme:

Multicolor

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

What is inscribed on the quilt?

The story of this quilt is printed and placed in a pocket in the quilt: Six panel "story" textile. Black backing and top hanging tabs with 0ff-white printed fabric dividing textile into six panels on the front. In each panel are human figures and other images, appliqued onto the story of what is going on in the story cloth. "1) John was married but he fall for a girl;" "2) The girl was pregnant and she eloped, with auntie's company;" "3) When the wifes were staying , one day they fought for their husband (shanje);" "John loved the young wife most so he hit the older wife;" "5) one day when John and his young wife were resting behind the hut, the older wife thought of running away;" "6) On her way she turn to hear her life, then in the thick forest she commited suicide, with the word (Sarai Mugare)."

Describe where the inscription was found:

The story of this quilt is printed and placed in a pocket in the quilt

Describe the quilt's layout:

Block pattern

Number of quilt blocks:

6

Size of quilt blocks:

10" x 10"

Arrangement of quilt blocks:

Straight

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Separated by plain sashing

Sashing width:

1"

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

African ethnic prints

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Can you feel or see paper on the quilt that was used as a construction aid?

no

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Embroidery

Embellishments used:

Cotton thread

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

Materials used in the quilt binding:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Straight grain; Back turned to front

What is the width of the binding (measure on the top only)?

half inch - one inch

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting

Quilting designs used, overall motifs:

In-the-ditch

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

Weya cloths are a distinctive style of appliqued pictorial textiles done by primarily Shona-speaking women in Weya, an impovershed rural area in Zimbabwe located about 170km east of the country's capital, Harare. In 1987, art teacher Ilsa Noy was asked by the German Volunteer Service to devise an economic development project to assist women in becoming financially self-sufficient. Noy thought the women, already skilled in needlework, could make narrative, pictorial scenes that could be sold to tourists. The Weya textile project began with nine women; today cloths are produced by hundreds and sold by artists who travel to marketplaces and through galleries and traders around the world. This applique was acquired in Harare. Artists chose stories or themes that reflect their experiences, beliefs, and attitudes. This piece tells the sad story of a woman (possibly Sarai Mugare) who hung herself after her husband beat her and left her for a second wife. A small piece of paper in the pocket of one of the panels provides more detailed description: 1) John was married but he fall for a girl; 2) The girl was pregnant and she eloped, with auntie's company; 3) When the wifes [sic] were staying, one day they fought for their husband (shanje); 4) John loved the young wife most so he hit the older wife: 5) One day when John and his young wife were resting behind the hut,the older wife thought of running away; 6) On her way she turn to hear her life, then in the thick forest she committed suicide [with the word Sarai Mugare].

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Quilts and Human Rights, MSU Museum, January 15 - August 24, 2008

Related items such as diaries, obituaries, wills, household inventories, or pictures of the quiltmaker:

Great Lakes, Great Quilts (2001) book, page 20.

Source of the information on this quilt:

Museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

How was this quilt acquired?

Gift

Tell the story of how the quilt was obtained:

Purchased at Amon Shonge Galler; Cold Country Farm, Harare, Zimbabwe. Price: 600 Zimbabwe dollars (U.S. $20) by 6/14/2000, Ray Silverman

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

How did the quiltmaker participate in the creation of the quilt?

Made entire quilt

If the source helped design the quilt, describe their input:

Designed the pattern

Copyright holder:

Michigan State University Museum

Cite this Quilt

Magurambe, Rober. Sarai Mugare. 2000. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-889. Accessed: 03/28/24

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