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About Sonia
Sonia was a participant in TURNING POINT (London) heritage programme’s ‘Sunday Best’ – sewing skills and heritage research workshop.
Sonia was born in the Caribbean to Antiguan parents. Formerly a social worker, one of her main hobbies is sewing. Over the past few years Sonia has sought to explore her Antigua-Barbudan heritage in more depth. The project undertaken focused on the twin-island’s use of madras.
Summary
Sonia (participant) has used a reflective blog which follows her journey of reconnecting with her Caribbean heritage through the Sunday Best workshop. With family roots in Antigua and Barbuda, she explores national dress traditions, focusing on madras fabrics and their meanings. A key part of the research was Wob Dwiyets, challenging stereotypical views by highlighting their complexity and craftsmanship. Her work sets the context for why she chose to make her very own outfit – a modern take on Antigua’s National Dress inspired by Heather Doram’s winning 1992 design.
Sunday Best: Heritage Research and Sewing Skills Workshop
A Reflective Account
It probably wasn’t a coincidence that I came across details of this workshop. Over the years I have developed an interest in finding out more about my Caribbean and African culture and ancestry. My parents hail from the twin island nation of Antigua and Barbuda and having first visited there as an adult in 1989, my experience led me to become estranged from the Island. After over 20 years I ‘touched base’ on Antigua as part of a Caribbean cruise in 2011 and began to think it was time I ended this self-imposed exile. I visited again in 2017 and made the decision that life was too short and that I should find out more about the Island of my parents birth, vowing to visit on a regular basis.
Antigua and Barbuda national dress in Madras fabric – by Sonia Andrew
