Mother's Day Workshops

Discover the origins, meanings, and techniques behind these traditional headwraps. Everyone is welcome. Come as you are and bring your stories. No experience is necessary, and all materials will be provided. 

At the end of the workshop, at 5 pm, you will take home your self-made Lensu or Angisa. The Lensu and Angisa are traditional headwraps that tell stories of identity, pride, spirituality, and resistance. During this workshop, you will explore the origins, meanings, and techniques surrounding this cultural heritage. You will learn different techniques to wrap your cloth into your own unique Lensu or Angisa. 

LENSU 
Get to know the rich tradition of the Lensu, the headwrap that plays a central role in the traditional dress of Curaçao. The very first headwraps served multiple functions: they provided cooling and protected the hair from the sun and dirt. The way the cloth was folded could convey various messages: how the cloth was tied indicated, for example, someone’s mood or helped to make secret agreements. 

ANGISA
The angisa is a folded headwrap that plays a central role in the kotomisi tradition. The kotomisi is a traditional Surinamese woman in a koto (skirt and costume) and angisa, a folded headwrap with significant cultural meaning; the tradition arose around the end of the 19th century and is part of Surinamese heritage. A unique opportunity to learn together, experience, and keep the heritage of the angisa alive. 

Threads of our Dutch slavery history
These workshops are part of the programming surrounding the exhibition Threads of our Dutch Slavery History.