The Silkies of Madasgar

Filmmaker David Evans

by Nadja Maril

Initially when I think of going to the movies, I think of entertainment. But the medium of filmmaking can provide a powerful platform for education and social change.  Certainly the story of the women who comprise the Federation of Silk Weavers of Madagascar— a small island  nation off the  Southeast coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean—is a tale that renews ones faith in the ability of a small group of craftspeople to create a pocket of social and economic prosperity within an impoverished nation. 

                

Together we are like a rock

Separated we are like sand  

is one of the several proverbs shared with viewers with words on the screen. 

                Beautiful cinematography enhanced by a soundtrack that features native drumming and songs makes this film a pleasure to watch. It’s a documentary that captures the pulse of living in the village of Sandrandahy with the simple format of having weavers tell their stories and how being a member of the Federation of Silk Weavers has changed their lives.

While silk weaving has long been a tradition, it was once created solely for the purpose of shrouding the dead. Very fine shrouds were created to wrap in multiple layers around the corpses of ancestors and a specific ritual followed that involved re-visiting the corpses, parading them in the sunlight, and adding additional layers of silk years after their initial “burial”.

Now the cottage industry that begins with of gathering cocoons from the forests made by silkworms living in Tapia trees creates jobs for 900 people.  Getting the silks ready for weaving is a multi step process that involves boiling the cocoons, washing, dropping, drop spindling, dying, spinning, and weaving.  Colorful scarves are created that are now sold at the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market. The market, a three-day yearly event, represents the folk art of 150 countries. Only 33% of the artists who apply to the market are accepted.  The first year they participated, the Federation of Silk Weavers from Madagascar made $32,000, which for them represents a sum of money that would take them 15 years to earn.

Seeing all the handsome weavings and the labor and dedication involved in creating them, made me want to own or at the very least caress and handle one of those lovely textured scarves in my hands.

Filmmaker David Evans will be a featured guest at the Annapolis Film festival this month, and perhaps he will shed some light on who or what lead to the idea of creating colorful scarves and other items of silk for international sale.  (The film tells the story of how the weaving got to the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market but not what or who got the silk weaving crafts industry started initially. ) Towards the end of the film, the Federation was using some of their profits to built three bungalows for tourists in an effort to promote eco-tourism.  Are they available for rental today?

How long did it take, from inception to completion, to create this 30 minute gem?  Reading the credits at the end of the film I saw the names of dozens of people.  What is the story behind the making of this particular movie?

One of the benefits of attending the Annapolis Film Festival is not only the opportunity to see so many wonderful movies in one weekend but to interact with the filmmakers. So don’t miss it! Buy your tickets today.