The art of head-scarf tying  

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picture-press-release-head-tiePHILIPSBURG – The Philipsburg Jubilee Library, the St. Maarten National Commission for UNESCO, and the SuriMaarteners (Suriname Group on St. Maarten) will be organizing a Head Tying Workshop on Saturday, November 19, at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library.

The goal of the workshop is to be a cultural exchange between the countries of St. Maarten, Curaçao and Suriname, and to highlight the similarities of this form of craftsmanship (head tying) in the countries.

During the workshop Cenaida van Dinter from Curaçao, Jaritha Hoogdorp from Suriname, and Esther Narcisco and members of Our Creations, St. Maarten Arts and Crafts Foundation will be sharing stories and the meaning of some of the scarfs and models, and the reasons why they were designed. Participants will learn how to tie their own scarf into beautiful models and will get a live demonstration about the traditional ways to starch (stiffen) the scarf.

Persons interested in participating in the workshop are asked to bring their own scarfs with them and straight sewing pins, so that they can take home with them their own head tie, which they can use for different occasions. The measurements of a scarf can vary from 90 cm to 1 meter in a square; 1.15 meters in a square is big, but can also be used in a square (this is the usual width of material one will find in a store), and the material must be cotton.

The workshop will take place on Saturday, November 19, between 10:00am and 2:30pm at the library’s Medialab. Participation is free of charge.

Persons interested in registering for the Head Tie workshop can do so by contacting:

Monique Alberts (Director Philipsburg Jubilee library) at 542-2970; Marcellia Henry (Secretary General UNESCO) at 520-3051; and Virginia Asin (President Surimaarteners) at 520-4523.