Still Can’t Be… Dusted Off
What does Blue mean to you? In many other cultures, the color Indigo, a penetrative type of Blue, represents the protector of the evil eye. Most of us are familiar with the "Nazar boncuğu," which is a traditional Turkish amulet used to protect against the evil eye.
Likewise, in Surinamese culture, the evil eye (Ogri ai) is battled with the same color. The protection from Indigo comes in different types of forms, one of them being the one I am highlighting today, the powder form known as (Reckitt’s) Crown Blue, Blue, or, in our culture, Blauwsel.
Although I’m capturing the synthetic form, the use of the Blue powder derives from the Indigofera tinctoria (True Indigo) plant. This indigenous plant is found in tropical regions all over the Americas, including Suriname. The natural form of the beloved blue powder is created by drying out the leaves.
When I think of my personal connection with this product, my mind initially goes to the New Year's bath I mentioned in my previous blog, the same one where the use of Florida Water is needed. I don’t use the Blue often in my daily life, but I do always have Blue in my home; it's like a staple in my cultural starter kit, so to speak.
While chatting with my sister, she mentioned that Blue is associated with the protection of babies. In Surinamese culture, parents give their newborns a "Blue bath" by dissolving blue powder in water and using it to give them a gentle massage while speaking blessings over them.
Additionally, a bright blue dot of dust is placed on the baby's forehead as a visible reminder to anyone with ill intentions or who might excessively praise the child that the baby is protected. However, if parents want to keep the protection discreet, they can place the powder behind the baby's ears or on the soft spot on their heads.
My sister expressed that using Blue on her children, especially when they were babies, was essential to her. She felt Blue provided an extra layer of protection for them beyond what she could give them herself. Knowing that they were being safeguarded by something greater than herself gave her a sense of peace. It made her feel like she was doing everything in her power to ensure that her children had a long and prosperous life.
As we get deeper into our conversation, we laugh at how we later, as adults, use the phrase "you better put some Blue," meaning you better protect yourself when we or one of our friends or family members has a wary encounter or remark, like a backhanded compliment said their way.
The original use of Reckitt’s Crown Blue has no spiritual connection since this solid cylinder of synthetic ultramarine Blue with a carbohydrate starch binder purpose was to be squeezed and stirred in the last rinsing of a white-wash cycle for a short time to give the load a whiter appearance.
Both Florida Water and Blue weren't initially designed for spiritual use, which made me wonder how they became such a staple in spiritual rituals. This led to a conversation with my cousin, who is an Afro-diaspora professor, and he proposed an interesting idea. He suggested that the use of blue dye might have been a way for our ancestors to hold on to ancient habits and rituals that were taken away from them during slavery and displacement. This blue powder may represent an item that was readily available to us in our place of origin. I would love to find out if this theory holds some accuracy and, if so, what the original product used was. It gives me great joy to spark conversations about our culture and history through product photography. I am learning more and more with each shoot!
Text by Winny Sandvliet & Norma Diana Stanton
Photos by Frame It Right Studio
