Today I wish to focus on one of the reusable materials I use in my work, The sail. The sail is a canvas-like material that fishermen use as sails on the traditional dhows ( boats made of wood). It is used for sailing in the ocean by trapping air after it is mounted on the dhow making the dhow to move through the waters. It also determines the direction in which the 'captain' wants to move by adjusting it.
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| A fisherman goes home after a hard day's work. Note the sail cloth wrapped around his waist! |
The dhow has been used by Zanzibar fishermen for decades as a means to go fishing and also for transporting people and goods between the main land the archipelago. The sail has to be replaced after approx. six months for a new one because with time it gets torn due to the strong winds of the ocean, the scorching sun and the salty waters....and that is where I come in! Reuse the sail to make almost all the products you see on this blog. To me, the sail displays a unique strength in that it overcomes the wind, sun, rain and salt of the Indian ocean and still manages to stand out as a reusable material for art and other useful ways!
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| Above: Here you can see fishermen on the Traditional sail. The sail is the cloth mounted on the dhow |
