Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Indigo Cloth
Another classic West African fabric is the indigo-dyed cotton worn primarily by the
Tuareg as robes and headdresses. The indigo colour comes from the indigofera plant and
the indigo vine; the plant is crushed and fermented, then mixed with an alkaline solution
to produce the dye. The dyed cloth is often beaten with a mallet to produce a sheen.
Among the Tuareg, cheaper dyed cotton from Nigeria or even China has begun to replace
true indigo cloth, which can be outrageously expensive. Other West African peoples noted
for their use of indigo include the Hausa, Dogon, Baoulé, Yoruba and Soninké, while it is
also characteristic of Guinea's Fouta Djalon region.
The Yoruba produce an indigo-dyed cloth,
aderi,
which has designs that are applied us-
ing the tie-dye technique, or by painting motifs with a dye-resistant starch. The Dogon
also produce an indigo cloth, which has geometric patterns.
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Other Textiles
The Fula have a caste of weavers, called Maboub, who produce blankets known as
khasa
.
These are usually made from camel hair, although the term is sometimes used to describe
cotton blankets as well. The Maboub also make rare and expensive wedding blankets.
These large and elaborately detailed textiles are traditionally displayed around the mar-
riage bed.
The Fon and the Fanti are known for their appliqué banners and flags. Shapes of people
and animals are cut from colourful material and are carefully sewn onto a cloth panel.
The Hausa are famous for their embroidery, which was once hand-stitched onto their
robes and caps. Although they are now machine-stitched, the designs remain unchanged.
In keeping with Islam, Hausa designs are nonfigurative.
Northern Côte d'Ivoire is famous for its Korhogo cloth, a coarse, cream-coloured cot-
ton adorned with geometrical designs or fantastical animals.
In Morocco, 'Cactus silk' (or
soie végétale
) is made from cactus fibres typically woven
with cotton (or synthetic) threads in another colour to produce cloth with a spectacular
sheen and a starchy crispness. Moroccan embroidery ranges from simple Berber designs
to minutely detailed terz fezzi, the elaborate nature-inspired patterns in blue on white lin-
en that women in Fez traditionally spent years mastering for their dowries.
