Photo: Amy's Damara Dress

Amy in a typical Damara dress she made in Keetmanshoop. Here is her e-mail about it:

At Jay’s youth center I found out that they already had a sewing
teacher, but she really wanted me to draw a pattern for the traditional dresses from scratch. Thank you, Arena Theatre and Michael Stauffer, because I couldn’t have done it if not for the hours I spent in the costume shop. I made a test dress to check for glitches in the pattern and there was nothing that a little adjusting or a few darts couldn’t fix. Jay took a picture. I’ll have him send it to my Dad.

(When I say “traditional dress” I think you all might be thinking something different than I mean, like grass skirts or something. Traditional dresses for the Nama/Damara either look like Victorian dresses or like puff-sleeved dresses in African patterns.)

I also made a head scarf, but I don't have it on in this photo. They told me I could keep the sample dress, so I'm going to wear it to church next Sunday in Anker. Everyone is going to go crazy for it.

Jason's photo of other Damara dresses