Hand Woven Textiles

(photos to be added of mud cloth, korhogo, indigo)
Woven textiles can be found all over West Africa. Each country has a cloth representing their stature - from the extravagant Kente cloths worn by royalty and at funerals in Ghana, to the rich embroidered textiles of Nigeria, the heavily brocaded damask cotton of Senegal, Mud cloth, Indigo and multi coloured wedding blankets from Mali, and Korhogo from Ivory Coast. These cloths are woven in narrow strips from 100% cotton, then sewn together before dyeing or painting as in the case of mud cloth and korhogo to form the design or pattern.

Mud cloth, also known as Bogolofini is used in Mali for hunting tunics, probably because the colours act as a camouflage, and more recently it has been used in costumes for performers. The mud is usually kept for a whole year before using to "season". Kola nut is often used as well as a red/ochre dye. In the West it has become fashionable for wall hangings and furnishings. Korhogo wall hangings depict masked dancers and animal spirits that have been used in ceremonies particular to this village for centuries. Korhogo is located in Northern Ivory Coast.

Indigo has been widely used in West Africa since the Middle Ages and is obtained from the Indigo plant. The leaves are put in a vat and the water becomes a green colour thus the fabric emerges green from the vat and turns blue upon contact with oxygen from the air. A paste is also made from the leaves, then formed into balls, and dried for travel.

Indigo dyeing as with many other crafts was a secret passed down through the generations and portrayed much mysticism and legends. It continues to be very popular to this day.

Product	Price
Mudcloth	£40.00
Mud Cloth Scarves	£13.99
Korhogo (Large)	£45.00
Korhogo (Medium)	£25.00
Korhogo Strips	£12.50
Mud Cloth Purse	£5.95
Indigo Dogon	£40.00
Indigo Mali	£35.00
Indigo Guinea (Single)	£15.00

Contact us. Or email pricelist@malika.org.uk for an up to date price list.