by Suelin Low Chew Tung
“Rebecca’s Dolls: A Stitched Story of Slavery in Grenada” opened in June 2025 at the Grenada National Museum and was scheduled to close on 12 September.
The original project was funded by the Karun Thakar Fund of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and supported locally by the Grenada Office of Creative Affairs. The exhibition, which highlights the remarkable life of Rebecca Ahmuty Snagg, enslaved to a British family living in the Town of St George, is still available to view until mid-December. Rebecca’s story unfolds through 3 dolls she sent to her former enslaver; they are housed at Bristol Archives in England, and are too fragile to travel.
The exhibition includes a painting of Rebecca by Jean Renel Pierre Louis, 2 dolls made by Conny Herrmann, a storybook illustrated by artist and TAMCC Art Teacher Andrea McLeod, and a locally produced fabric pattern using floral motifs from 9 plantation crops cultivated here during Rebecca’s lifetime. Additionally, a panel of samples of authentic Madras fabric has been donated by Original Madras Trading Company, Chennai (formerly Madras), India.
History is better taught by actively engaging students. On Saturday, 15 November, from 5–7 pm, please join artist Suelin Low Chew Tung, historian John Angus Martin and others to discuss “Heritage in Education” and “Place-based Learning.” During this artist talk at the GNM, assignments by TAMCC students inspired by this exhibition will also be on display.
Very interesting piece of national history