By Deborah Ann Eckert
"Nothing have I perceived except that I perceived God within it,
God before it, or God after it..."
--Bahá'u'lláh
Some time ago, while assigned to a project to create Caribbean carnival masks, artist Deborah Eckert began experimenting with natural materials that she had collected over the years. Instead of carnival masks, however, she found herself following the suggestions of the materials themselves, suggestions which led back to more primitive and natural expressions of awe, mystery, magic and humour. "Suddenly," says the artist, "the materials took on a life of their own." They became jumbies. These jumbies are made entirely from found materials. As Deborah points out, she doesn't date anything that the earth hasn't already offered.
In African and West Indian traditions, jumbies were ghosts, spirits of ancestors or of the earth itself. Deborah's jumbies are whimsical and fun. but they carry a serious message. The artist explains: "In the present day, we are losing the reverence and respect for the earth which our ancestors had, and which many indigenous cultures still possess. We are destroying our environment, for we no longer take the time to look carefully, listen to and learn from the natural world around us. We have either forgotten or never fully understood the scientific and spiritual perspective that unites us with all creation and we are in urgent need of developing that vision."
"Working with these materials is both humbling and uplifting. They speak volumes to you of time, of spirit, and of the glorious forces of nature which have shaped each piece. In the curve of a piece of coral, the pattern of a shell or the grain of a piece of wood one can find the masterful hand of the Creator; one can hear the earth's voice pleading with us to remember, cherish, protect, delight in its beauty, and in the diversity of all life. These jumbies remind us that we should be abashed in the presence of the earth which nurtures and sustains us."
She adds, "Hopefully, they will also make you giggle, and bring joy to your home!"
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