Handshouse was scheduled to offer a week-long Gourd Banjo Project Immersive this past June. This was canceled due to COVID 19. So in this moment of so much change, we have been left in a moment of pause. Where do we go from here with the Gourd Banjo Project? We know that this project will gain new footing. We know it is such important and exciting work. And we are eager to find a meaningful way continue.
We have found that interacting with history through the material culture of the objects people made, putting one’s own hands on the tools and processes that were used to make them, taking part in the act of remaking in an effort to illuminate a moment in history has opened hearts and minds into new realms of understanding. We love this about Handshouse projects. The generative way our process invites participants to explore history has proved time and time again to be a powerfully transformative experience for those who have been involved. And with the country and world finally embracing the need for a more expansive look into African American history, the Gourd Banjo Project feels more urgent than ever.
We are not sure how we carry this project forward in a world of social distancing. But we are committed to figuring it out.
So this week, we decided to reach out to our past Gourd Banjo Project participants to have them remind us how this project impacted them, to rejuvenate our resolve, to help us regroup the many past participants, to invite in future banjo makers, and to begin to explore safe ways to continue the project in the strange new world of COVID 19.
We thought we would share some of the things participants have said…
“My experience taking the Handshouse banjo workshop was one of the most profound experiences of my life. Handshouse creates learning experiences rooted in the joy of discovery. They ask you to bring everything you’ve got—your talents, your knowledge, your lack of knowledge, your experiences, things you didn’t realize were skills till that moment—and create alongside them in the service of projects that matter. It’s joyful, it’s exhilarating, it’s a little scary, and it feels like freedom. Who knew freedom could be found trying to make a banjo?”
Helena Gindi (left) with Ailton Correia and Marie Brown, refining the connection between the gourd resonator body and the banjo’s neck. August 2018 Banjo Project immersive at Handshouse Studio in Norwell, MA.
Justin Brazier demonstrating the Gourd Banjo Project history and replicas at The Boston Children's Museum CreatedBy Festival October, 2019.
“The Gourd Banjo Project has been vastly influential to me in looking back at a sometimes hard-to-swallow history....I feel that we have only scratched the surface of its reach and influence. We have been able to connect with many different age groups and demographics. Given the opportunity to adapt and refine our approach, I think the project’s possibilities are endless.”
“The project had the feel of a community, even a family, rather than a classroom, & that vibe, that shared curiosity & passion made Handshouse a positive learning experience unlike any other. ”
Norwell High School students participating in a one-day workshop at Handshouse Studio September, 2019.
NBC-10 Segment on the Gourd Banjo Project Aug. 12, 2019
“The Gourd Banjo Project … was the most successful program we had at the Museum last summer ! Handshouse Studio did a fantastic job of non-stop interactions with guests, making the rich history of these objects come alive.”