Textiles and the Decorative Arts Characteristics: Made from cotton, animal and grass fibers. Woven cloth made on narrow and horizontal looms. Motifs and patterns of cloth produced by a variety of techniques: such as resist dyeing, tie dyeing, weaving, and direct painting on the fabric. Cloth indicates status, personal and group identity, as well as the wearer’s occupation. Often done to beautify, complement, and enhance the body. Cloth is the fabric of immortality— “Cloth does not die, only wears to shreds” “It is cloth we should greet before greeting the wearer”

Ibadan Dun—Ibadan is Sweet, Pleasurable, Enjoyable Indigo dyed fabric, Yoruba 20 th century

Woman painting designs With feather and cassava starch

Woman displays completely Dried stenciled patterns

The dying stage

Third stage of the dying process

The final product

Bogolanfini Artist Bamana Peoples, Mali Mud cloth 20 th century

Bogolanfini—Mud cloth, Bamana Peoples Mali, 20 th century

Bogolanfini—mud cloth, Bamana Peoples, Mali, cotton and natural dyes 20 th century

Bogolanfini—Mud cloth, Bamana Peoples, Mali, cotton, natural pigments 20 th century

Adinkra, Akan, Ghana Cotton, pigments 20 th century

Berber Blanket, wool and natural pigments, Morocco, 20 th century

Berber Textile, Hand woven wool, with natural pigments 20 th century

Fon applique, Fon Peoples, Benin Republic Cotton, 20 th century

Funerary Cloth, Ibibio, Nigeria Cotton, 20 th century

Warriors in Quilted Cloth Armor, Djerma (Hausa) Peoples, Niger, 20 th century

Woman weaving at the Vertical Loom

Weaving on the Narrow loom, Yoruba Peoples, Nigeria 20 th century

Hand woven fabric Yoruba Peoples, Nigeria Cotton, silk 20 th century

Dandogo, Yoruba, Nigeria Cotton, natural dyes 20 th century

Dancer in Dandogo, Yoruba Peoples, Nigeria, 20 th century

Kente, Akan Peoples, Ghana/Ivory Coast Cotton, silk 20 th century

Kuba cloth, Kuba Peoples, Congo, raffia and natural pigments, 20 th century

Ruler in Kente, Akan Peoples, Ghana Cotton, gold, leather 20 th century

Orangun of Ila, (Ruler of Ila) Yoruba, Nigeria Cotton, beads, leather 20 th century

Hausa Royalty, Hausa, Nigeria Cotton, velvet 20 th century

Titled Chief in front of Nsibidi cloth Note the feathers in cap, Leopard teeth necklace and the elephant Tusk in his hand

Ekpe members in procession wearing the Ukara cloth, Igbo Nigeria

Kalabari Ijaw, Funerary Textile Display in the Jelly Fish Pattern, Buguma, Nigeria

Egungun costume on display at the Studio Museum, New York Yoruba Peoples, Nigeria. Cotton, leather, metal, cowries, 20 th century

Egungun Performance, Yoruba, Nigeria

Ijele Masquerade, Igbo, Nigeria Cotton, wood, plastics, leather 20 th century

Elephant masks in performance, Cameroon

Ejisuhene Nana Diko Pim III, Wearing the great Warrior shirt And Hat with amulets, Akan Peoples, Ghana Cotton, leather, metal, horns and cowries 20 th century

Ruler’s beaded shirt, Yoruba, Nigeria Beads, cotton 20 th century

Sango Priests in a ritual dance, Yoruba, Nigeria, cotton, leather, cowries 20 th century