On Monday or Tuesday, the Guinea Hen of Mawulidi Diodone Majaliwa will be shipped out to the person who bought her. In the meantime, I put her out on the back bench to keep Flo company.
The Guinea Hen, like the crane, is just passing through. She was also sold instantly, as was all of Mawulidi’s work.
The Guinea Hen is not listed in any of the animal totem or spirit books, she has a different vibe than the (heron/crane/egret) now the subject of some debate on Facebook. She is more homey, more of a protector I think.
Lots of people h ave different ideas about what the heron carving really is, I will have to ask Mawulidi. As the creator, he gets to say what it is, and that is right. It could very well be a mix of several things, a creation of the artist.
I feel fortunate to have these beautiful creations gracing our home for a few days. There is a special quality about them.
Twenty-five per cent of the sales goes to RISSE, the refugee and immigrant center in Albany, the rest goes to Mawulidi. He can use the money, he has four small children at home.
Please consider supporting the urgent winter clothing drive started on Friday here on the blog for the refugees and immigrants who have come to the Northeast in recent years and months. Details here.
It is the person who experiences the art, rather than the creator, who ultimately decides its meaning–and often even its subject. So it has always been with art.
My farmer uncle – Uncle Paul – used to keep guinea hens for his table – he said they and their eggs made excellent eating, that they’re more self-reliant, intelligent, and healthy than chickens, with gentle ways – and they’re beautiful. In time, he couldn’t bear to have them killed, and the guinea hen population got out of hand. One day Aunt Delia, his wife, called a neighbor who took all of them, which had to be done. I don’t know how that worked out between Paul and Delia, but that was the end of poultry keeping at the farm.