THE WANDERERS
407 enslaved Kongolese Africans who were dispersed throughout the Southern States in 1858, left an enduring impression on the local culture and the communities in which they were settled. Their story is one of triumph and creativity in the midst of a viciously inhumane system.
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FACE JUGS
Shortly after arriving at the woodyard of plantation owner Thomas Lamar in Horse Creek Valley, SC, in December of 1858, "grotesque jugs" and stoneware vessels with faces that had features similar to Kongo religious icons began to appear. This short movie features interviews with experts and scholars discussing the various theories about the creation of the vessels and their possible uses.
Narrated by April Hynes, the film takes the viewer through her story from her very unique perspective. It begins when her grandfather discovers a strange-looking jug while digging a trench in 1952 for the construction of a middle school in Philadelphia, PA. When April inherits that same piece of pottery in 2010, she becomes enmeshed in a centuries-old tale which ties together the history of African survivors of the slave ship Wanderer, their captivity in the Edgefield (now Aiken County) potteries in the 1850s and 1860s, and the much argued history of "face jugs". Ultimately, April's passionate mission to reconnect Wanderer descendants to their ancestors shines a light on their courageous struggles, as well as their apparent determination to use her as their emissary to bring their messages to a 21st Century audience.
(45-90 min)
THE CLAY &
THE POTTERIES
Extraordinary geological conditions existed for the Edgefield/Aiken County potteries to be located there. Had it not been for the remarkable clay that was formed by the remants of the ancient ocean and the kaolin native to the area, the face jugs would not be the enduring, powerful and fascinating vessels they are today.
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Ultimately the story of the face jug is constructed by the people who carry its
legacy forward into the future.
* Descendants who've treasured their family's African heritage and kept the secrets passed down to them safely until now.
* Writers who've chased down facts to connect snippets of oral history to
their beginnings.
* Scholars who've dedicated their lives to the study of Kongolese art and the complicated history of Afro-Carolinans.
* Artisans who faithfully re-create 19th Century pottery and keep the 150 year old craft of Edgefield/Aiken County pottery alive.
Hear them talk about their very personal perspectives when you click on the images in this section.
THE PEOPLE &
THEIR STORIES
Friends of the Aiken County Historical Museum //
& the Aiken County Historical Commission
provided the funds for this project
