STITCHING IN TIME WITH SONG

Through the use of songs and quilts five sisters for the "Seven Quilts For Seven Sisters' performing group share the  secret communication used during the slave era in their country.

The song has always been a powerful means to express joy, fear, sorrow and pain.  The slaves designed songs to secretly communicate their desire for freedom and plan for escape.  Their songs sounded like church songs, but many of them had double meanings.

Quilts were an integral part of their lives and were used to depict events in their lives.  The slaves also learned to use them as codes. Shapes, color and patterns were symbolic.  The slaves used shapes, color and pattern on quilts to give warning, direction, time, location and preparation for escape on the Underground Railroad.

Most slaves could not read or write, therefore the Underground Railroad depended on sympathetic white people and freed blacks, known as "conductors" who might use the coded quilts as directions along the way. It was important to find a way to communicate their plan of escape from bondage without being discovered.

The show runs forty five minutes.  The sisters are anxious to share the work of their hands through their quilts and a peek at their hearts through their song.

Anxious To Share,
The Sisters

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