The traveling exhibit “Indigeaux: Yes, Spirit. I’ll go …” recently arrived at the Whitney Plantation in Wallace. Created by Leia Lewis, an educator, artist and self-described “light-bringer” and “cultural architect,” the exhibit features hand-dyed textiles and original artwork conceived as “an offering to the enslaved women whose hands were stained blue with indigo,” she says.

On view through Dec. 31, the exhibit supplements a permanent installation that recalls indigo’s role in the plantation’s history. In the 18th century, indigo was a major export for Louisiana farmers, as European textile makers coveted the blue hue.

“As early as 1721, indigo was being produced along the river just on the outskirts of New Orleans in what they call the Tchoupitoulas area,” said Ibrahima Seck, director

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