Sarina Greene shared her initial expectations, “I thought it was going to be a workshop where I would watch them work while I facilitate and help clean, prepare fabrics, etc. I wanted to be a part of it because I realized I didn’t have much knowledge on Indigo beforehand.”  Ultimately however, the students were able to fully participate in the workshop which deeply increased their appreciation for the process.

Assisting the Tatter staff, the students played a crucial part in the workshop’s success. Beata Belogolovsky described her tasks, “Our role was mainly to lend a hand in the background of the workshop, such as prepping equipment, boiling water for the vats, setting up, and cleaning up the space.” Additionally Sarina, the Garden’s social media coordinator, worked with the Tatter staff to document the workshops.

When asked about their impression of Aboubakar Fofana’s teaching, the students had much to say. Beata noted the sense of play in his teaching and how he demonstrated techniques, then encouraged participants to find their own knowledge through individual experience. “Aboubakar wanted us to feel in our body what we thought was right, and whether or not I understood what he meant, I think there is some truth to feeling out what works for each of us.” She also commented that even after over a decade of experience, he too is still learning; Indigo is a practice. 

Sarina appreciated the teaching about Indigo’s cultural and spiritual significance. ‘When demonstrating how to achieve different shades, he explained that a proper green with healthy oxidation means the gods have accepted the vat, and we should thank them for helping us create beautiful art. This experience was self-regulating and attuned to our emotions and bodies. 

I was grateful to learn about Indigo's connection to slavery and its historical significance. It was used as currency and trade, and many enslaved people were forced to grow and process it as a cash crop. The demand for Indigo led to the increased importation of African slaves by the British. People often overlook this history and the suffering of those who produced Indigo for rich plantation owners. I appreciated Aboubakar for ensuring his participants remembered this history.’

The workshop's environment fostered a unique blend of technical learning and cultural appreciation. Sarina observed, “The learning environment was amazing. Everyone was friendly and helped with the preparations. They were all fascinated by Aboubakar’s indigo practices.” Beata appreciated the historical context provided, “I was grateful to learn about the connection Indigo had during slavery and in history.”

The students acquired new skills and refined existing ones. Griselda Pena Candelario, who has learned about natural dyes in her Textile Minor course at Pratt, thought the learning environment was friendly, collaborative and inspiring. She saw how her previous indigo vat techniques could be improved. This opportunity showed her how much time and patience are needed to make a good vat, especially at the scale used in this workshop.

The students found the meticulousness of Aboubakar's process enlightening; from the preparation of the fabric, to its handling during the dipping process, to the precautions used to avoid introducing unwanted bacteria, with the end goal of producing an even dip.

Several demonstrations stood out to the students. Beata recalled, “At the start of the workshop, Aboubakar performed a blessing on the vat. He explained that he was speaking to the god of wind and the god of water because those are the two elements that are being used to create the oxidation process.”

The workshop had a profound impact on the students' perspectives on dyeing. Beata shared “specifically, when it comes to Indigo dyeing, this workshop as well as Aboubakar’s lecture with Dr. Uzma Rizvi taught me so much about what Indigo means to people in Mali, as well as how the history of indigo being used during the slave trade has shifted that meaning. The power of the color and the stance it holds through all these eras gives breath into the pieces being made, and that I think has shifted my perspective of the practice and what it means to be working with indigo dye. To elaborate, we learned how babies are swaddled in indigo because it is a symbol of protection. We also learned of the pain of this color, because of the enslaved Africans that had to harvest the plant and whose minds were used to replicate these methods for Europeans. With this insight, I understand more than just the process of indigo dyeing, but what it took for the process to reach us today.”

The workshop has inspired the students to pursue their own projects and expand their networks. Sarina expressed, “It inspired me to want to work on my own projects… I would love to use one of the vats and just make something from it without really knowing what.” Griselda emphasized the connections she made with people from different backgrounds, all passionate about Indigo.

Summarizing her experience, Beata said, “Overall I feel that I’ve gained a greater understanding of where indigo comes from and the space it held in African culture and still continues to hold after the meaning of it has been reshaped over and over again.”