Chawntay Barrett (she/her) is an emerging artist and facilitator based in the Greater Toronto Area. Community is an important aspect in Chawntay’s creative practice, as she is a recent alumni of the ArtworksTO Next Stream program and the Remix Project. Chawntay works primarily with oil and acrylic paint on canvas as well as with digital media for illustrations and design. As a woman of afro-Caribbean descent, Caribbean culture is a vital underlying theme in many of her artworks; the majority of her work explores the black experience in the modern era.
Treasures of Ours
Sharon Zarita
Presented by: Sharon Zarita
Ethnicity: Kenyan
Treasure: Maasai Shuka (Swahili for Maasai Shawl)
Maasai Shuka is a shawl adorned and preserved by the Indigenous Maasai community of East Africa. It is a reminder of the colourful and vibrant nature of my people especially in the gloomy days of Winter. While it may not be warm enough for the snowfall because it was designed for the tropical rainfall, it is a reminder to wear the beauty of my African roots with delight in this land. It is my little piece of home that stays with me wherever I go.
How to pass it on: Maasai Shuka is commonly shared in the family and used as a throw or living room blanket. It is often gifted to an E.African travelling abroad as a heritage keepsake.
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