Using Ethnic Art to Emphasize Laws of Reflection

摘要

The Kolam (Rangolee) art (Fig. 1) from South-ern India and Sona drawings (Fig. 2) from Af-rica show the similarity of lines going aroundthe dots. Kolam is usually drawn, with paste made upof rice powder, on the floor in front of a house. Typi-cally girls draw these in India on occasions such aswelcoming the spring season, weddings, or birthdays.Sona drawings are drawn in the sand using fingers.Typically young boys in Africa were taught to drawthese as they went through puberty. They used to im-press their masters by drawing these designs quickly insand and erasing them afterwards. So Europeans neverlearned these designs. Due to slavery this art or knowl-edge has disappeared.