african textiles resource guide

7/27/2019 African Textiles Resource Guide

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African Textiles Educator Guide

INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART


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2006

African Textiles Educator Guide Indianapolis Museum of Art, 2006

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Table of Contents

I. African Textiles Educator Guide Introduction....................................................3

II. Image Handouts................................................................................................4

III. African Textiles General Information.................................................................8.............................................................................................................................

IV. Glossary...........................................................................................................10

V. Actiities !"or all grades#.................................................................................11$ultural Introduction%ente $lot&Adin'ra $lot&(ogolanfini) (amana mud*clot&

VI. Adanced Actiities !"or grades +*1,#............................................................,-affia %u/a

VII. (i/liogra&y.....................................................................................................3,

VIII. Additional esources.......................................................................................33


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African Tetiles E!"cator #"i!e Intro!"ction

Usin$ T%is E!"cator #"i!eT&is teac&ing resource as created to &el you introduce students of all ages to t&erocesses used to create a ariety of African textiles. %ee in mind t&at t&ese met&ods

reresent a ariety of geogra&ic locations and eoles2 /ut it is not inclusie due to t&e/readt& and diersity of textiles in Africa. T&is resource introduces only a selectedsamling.

T&e IA also offers many ot&er oortunities to learn a/out African art. Visit t&emuseum for a tour of t&e galleries or isit t&e Cycles: African Life Through Artonlineactiity on our e/site !.imamuseum.org#.

&el'f"l &ints

se t&isguide to assist you in lesson lanning.

Actiities are gien grade leel recommendations and &ae aroriate

standards listed for eac& one.

Eac& actiity &as an estimated amount of time needed to comlete it. Actiities

are generally diided into one or to2 30*minute sessions. T&e 30*minute formatis designed to gie you time for re* and ost*actiity discussion or re andclean u for roduction actiities.

Images of t&e African textiles can /e rinted out in &ardcoy and gien to

students or ro5ected digitally in t&e classroom !images can /e found /y tyingt&e accession num/er into our 67earc& t&e $ollection feature on our e/site!.imamuseum.org#.


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http://www.imamuseum.org/http://www.imamuseum.org/http://www.imamuseum.org/http://www.imamuseum.org/


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(ente Clot%

Asante eole2 G&ana2 9estern Africa2 clot&2 ,0t&centuryAccession :um/er) 8,.1;


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A!in)ra Clot%

A'an eole2 G&ana2 9estern Africa2 cotton2 ,0t&centuryAccession :um/er) 8,.1+


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M"! Clot% *bo$olanfini+

(amana eole2 ali2 9estern Africa2 cotton and mud dye2 ,0 t&centuryAccession :um/er) 1-88.,3


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("ba Clot%

%u/a eole2


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African Tetiles #eneral Infor,ation

In t&is resource you ill find examles of textiles t&at reresent a ariety of geogra&iclocations and roduction met&ods. Eac& actiity includes information related to t&ecultural significance of t&e textile and some descrition of t&e met&od used to create it.T&is reference guide is intended to gie an oerie of roduction met&ods used to

create African textiles. efer to reference materials or t&e study guide at t&e end of t&is/oo'let for additional information.

D-e! Desi$nsTie*


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Painte! Desi$ns7ome textiles are decorated /y &and*ainting designs directly onto t&e fa/ric. Anexamle of t&is is mud clot&. Een t&oug& it can loo' li'e t&e atterns on t&ese clot&s

ere made using a resist tec&ni=ue2 t&ey ere actually created /y first dyeing t&e entireclot& to ac&iee t&e desired color for t&e attern2 t&en ainting dar' colored mud onto

t&e clot& leaing only t&e exosed lig&ter areas t&at create t&e attern.

Tra!ition .s/ Mo!erniation7omet&ing to consider &en studying t&ese textiles is t&eir connection to t&e ast and&o t&ey relate to t&e future.

sing natural materials to ma'e igments and clot& &as long /een a tradition in Africancultures. 7imilarly2 t&e rocesses used to create t&e textiles t&emseles &ae /eenassed from generation to generation and &ae created secific gender roles in Africansocieties.

As t&e 9estern orld continues to influence t&ese cultures2 many t&ings ill c&ange."or examle2 creating fa/rics2 atterns and dyes are all tas's assigned /y gender inmany African cultures2 /ut as time asses different 'inds of or' /ecome necessaryand no men and omen are ta'ing on more and aried resonsi/ilities in t&eir&ouse&olds and communities. Additionally2 some textiles &ae /ecome oular exortsor o/5ects for tourists and roduction must increase to 'ee u it& demand. 9&ile t&is&enomenon can &ae economic adantages2 sometimes t&e time*&onored rocessesare su/stituted it& faster2 less exensie met&ods.

?er time2 &o ill t&is affect African life and art@ Exlore t&is =uestion it& yourstudents and en5oy learning a/out t&e textiles in t&is resource


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#lossar-

A!in)ra Traditional fa/ric of G&ana2 decorated it& sym/olic designs rinted /y&and it& stams cared out of gourds.

A''li1" A rocess of decorating a iece of clot& /y seing a fa/ric design to a

larger /ac'ing.

Asante Grou of eole &o lie in &at is no 'non as G&ana.

3a,ana !(AH*ma&*na$ultural grou liing in ali.

3o$olanfini *(?H*go&*la&n*fee*nee# ud*dyed clot&s of t&e (amana eole.

In!i$o Blant used to create t&e igment t&at results in t&e /lue dye t&at colorsclot&.

(ente $eremonial oen clot& of t&e Asante eole of G&ana.

("ba A confederation of eoles centered around t&e %asai rier area in t&e$ongo.

Raffia A tye of alm leaf fre=uently used to ma'e fi/er for textiles and ot&erAfrican o/5ects.

Resist A su/stance or tec&ni=ue used to reent dye from coloring areas offa/ric.

Stri' 4o.en A textile made u of long2 narro stris of fa/ric sen toget&er.

Tetiles General term used to identify o/5ects made of clot& or oen material.

5or"ba Carge et&nic grou liing in sout&est :igeria.


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Acti.it- 7 C"lt"ral Intro!"ctionReco,,en!e! for #ra!es 892

One, 30-minute session

Ob:ecti.e 7tudents ill identify t&e geogra&ic locations corresonding to t&e textiles /eing

studied.

In!iana Aca!e,ic Stan!ar!s ,et b- t%is acti.it-Social St"!ies7 %.;.42 1.;.;2 ,.;.32 ,.;.42 D.;.12 D.;.,2 D.;.32 D.;.42 9G.,.1

S"''lies (lan' Africa ma !reroduci/le coy roided in t&is guide#

Bencils or ens

Images of African art from t&e IAs collectionF'ente clot&2 adin'ra clot&2 mud

clot&2 raffia clot& !digitally ro5ected or rinted out &ardcoy#

Intro!"ctionost of t&e textiles in t&is guide come from cultures in 9est Africa. T&is actiity isintended to &el students understand &ere t&is geogra&ic area is in relation to t&em2/ut also to understand2 in a larger sense2 t&at Africa is comosed of many differentcultural grous defined not only /y location2 /ut also /y t&eir ay of life2 language2clot&ing2 art and traditions.

Proce!"re1. Eac& student s&ould receie a /lan' ma. (elo is a list of t&e textiles included

in t&e guide and t&eir geogra&ic origins)

Tetile Location%ente G&ana

Adin'ra G&ana(ogolanfini aliaffia clot&


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Acti.it- 27 (ente Clot%Reco,,en!e! for #ra!es (92

Two, 30-minute sessions

Ob:ecti.es

7tudents ill understand t&e /asic rocess of creating a oen textile. 7tudents ill examine an African textile and consider its cultural significance.

In!iana Aca!e,ic Stan!ar!s ,et b- t%is acti.it-;is"al Art7 %.-.,2 1.1.121.-.,2 ,.1.12 ,.-.,2 3.1.12 3.,.12 3.-.,2 4.,.12

4.-.,2 ;.,.12 ;.-.,2 +.1.12 +.-.,2 D.1.,2 D.1.32 D.-.,2 8.,.128.-.,2 H.1.,2 H.-.1

Social St"!ies7 %.;.42 1.;.;2 ,.;.32 ,.;.42 D.;.12 D.;.,2 D.;.32 D.;.42 7.3.1

S"''lies

$ard/oard eaing suorts arn or t&read

7cissors

Bencils and scra aer

Images of African art from t&e IAs collectionF'ente clot& !digitally ro5ected or

rinted out &ardcoy#

Intro!"ctionT&e 'ente clot& of t&e Asante eole is er&as t&e /est*'non African textile in t&e

orld. T&e Asante eole lie in G&ana2 a country on t&e 9est $oast of Africa. T&eAsante &ae roduced 'ente clot& for at least four &undred years. en eae t&isfamous clot& in long stris t&at are later seed toget&er /y male tailors to form a large

raer t&at can /e orn as clot&ing.

A long time ago2 'ente clot& as only orn /y t&e Asante 'ing2 t&e Asante&ene. He notonly controlled &o muc& clot& as made2 /ut also &ic& atterns ere used. T&eAsante&ene ould &ire secial eaers to come or' in (onire !t&e city t&at roducet&e most 'ente clot and create secial atterns. T&ese atterns ere only 'non tot&e Asante&ene2 so t&at eac& of &is ne raers could /e t&e most ela/orate andintricate of any ro/e t&at &ad eer existed. 7il' t&read2 &ic& as ta'en from imortedEuroean textiles2 as also oen into t&e mostly cotton 'ente to ma'e t&e clot& eenmore restigious.

%ente is still oular today2 esecially in G&ana &ere it is t&e national dress. en2omen2 and c&ildren ear %ente in a ariety of atterns2 colors2 and forms. Eac& 'enteattern &as a secific meaning. 7ome refer to Asante roer/s2 &ile ot&ers areconnected to indiidual 'ings !Asante&enes#. $olors are also ery imortant in 'enteclot&. Gold is a ery common color2 and it refers to t&e roserous Asante 'ingdom t&atflouris&ed from its gold trade for &undreds of years. :ot only does color and attern laya significant role in communicating a message in 'ente clot&2 /ut t&e ay one earst&eir %ente raer can also communicate a certain message. T&ese t&ree t&ings


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com/ined transmit a significant message to t&e Asante community t&roug& t&e earingof only one clot&. %ente clot& is muc& more t&an clot&ing to t&e Asante2 it is an integralart of t&eir lifestyle.

esearc&ed and ritten /y ?liia osse/o2 1---

$ole2 Her/ert .2 and


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t&e textile is /eing remoed from t&e suort. If t&ere is not muc& room at t&eto and /ottom2 young students may need assistance cutting and tying off.

8. If it is necessary to sto eaing /efore t&e ro5ect is comlete2 as' students torite t&eir names on a scra s&eet of aer and lace it /eteen t&e &itesuort t&reads and t&e card/oard.


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Acti.it-


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adin'ra stams. any traditional stam designs are oer a &undred years old2 /utmany ne2 modern motifs &ae /een turned into stams2 suc& as t&e ercedes (ensym/ol. T&is c&ange illustrates &o t&e Asante &ae /een a/le to adat a traditionalart form to t&eir modern lifestyle.

esearc&ed and ritten /y ?liia osse/o2 1---

$ole2 Her/ert .2 and


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A!in)ra S-,bols


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A!in)ra Reference #"i!e

ANANSE NTONTAN

67iders e/

9isdom2 creatiity and t&e comlexities oflife

Ananse2 t&e sider2 is a ell*'nonc&aracter in African fol'tales.

3I9N(A93I

6:o one s&ould /ite t&e ot&er

Beace and &armony

T&is image is /ased on to fis& /itingeac& ot&er tails.

DAME9DAME

:ame of a /oard game.

Intelligence and ingenuity

FUNTUMMIRE(U9DEN(5EMMIRE(U

67iamese crocodiles


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#5E N5AME

6excet for God

suremacy of God2 omniotence and

immortality

OSRANE

6moon

"emale =ualities of loe and 'indness

#5A4N ATI(O

7ym/ol of courage and determination

N5AMEDUA

Beretual existence2 altar or lace ofors&i

(UNTIN(ANTAN

6do not /oast or /e arrogant

SAN(OFA *.ariation+

6return and get it

Cearn from t&e ast2 you can alays undomista'es

ADIN(RA&ENE

6c&ief of adin'ra sym/ols

Greatness2 c&arisma2 leaders&i


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ANI 3RE A ENSO #5A

Batience2 self*containment2 self*disciline

FI&AN(RA

6a &ouse &ic& is safe

7ecurity2 safety

(ODEE MO4ERE4A or N(OTIMSEFO

MPUA

6talons of t&e eagle

serice2 loyalty

MMUSU5IDEE

6t&at &ic& remoes ill luc'

Good fortune and rotection

D4ENINI MMEN

6rams &orns

Humility and strengt&

MMRA ((RADO

7eal of la and order2 aut&ority of t&ecourt


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A5A

6fern

Endurance2 resourcefulness

NTESIE9MATEMASIE

6I &ae &eard and 'et it

9isdom and 'noledge

(O=O 3AIDEN

$osmos2 omniresence

$om/ines t&e rays of t&e sun2 a dou/lecrescent moon and an Asante stool

EPA

6&andcuffs

Ca2 5ustice2 slaery

SUNSUM

7oul2 urity and sirituality

O4O FORO ADO3E

6sna'e clim/ing t&e raffia tree

7teadfastness2 rudence2 diligence


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DUAFE

6ooden com/

7ym/ol of /eauty and cleanlinessJ

sym/ols of desira/le feminine =ualities


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Acti.it- 87 M"!9Clot% *bo$olanfini+Reco,,en!e! for #ra!es (92


Ob:ecti.es

7tudents ill examine t&e meaning of sym/ols from 9est African cultures.

7tudents ill create a or' of art using contemorary sym/ols from oular

culture.

In!iana Aca!e,ic Stan!ar!s ,et b- t%is acti.it-;is"al Art7 1.1.12 ,.1.12 3.1.12 3.,.12 4.,.12 ;.,.12 +.1.12 D.1.,2 D.1.32 8.,.12H.1.,2Social St"!ies7 %.;.42 1.;.;2 ,.;.32 ,.;.42 D.;.12 D.;.,2 D.;.32 D.;.4

S"''lies

Images of African art from t&e IAs collectionFmud*clot& !/ogolanfini# !digitallyro5ected or rinted out &ardcoy#

Baer !fa/ric if desired#

Bencils or ens

Intro!"ctionT&e African (amana art form of /ogolanfini is /ot& a style and a medium. T&e ord can/e /ro'en don into /ogolan meaning Lsomet&ing made /y using mudL and finimeaning clot&. (ecause of its imortant traditional uses and designs loaded it&cultural significance2 /ogolanfini is an ideal means of exression for artists &o is&

t&eir or' to /e identified it& alian culture. T&e style of /ogolanfini is constantlyc&anging to reflect mar'et demands as ell as artist creatiity. ntil recently only

omen of no/le descent racticed t&is art. Today /ogolanfini &as merged it& modernants and needs2 ma'ing it one of t&e most oular trades from African culture insired/y and still ma'ing use of an age*old tradition. Traditionally2 /ogolanfini &as /een tiedto significant eents in (amana life. It &as /een used for &untersM s&irts2 as ell as

omenMs ra s'irts2 orn immediately folloing c&ild/irt&2 and finally to s&roud t&ecorse.


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is used to aint t&e dar' /ac'ground around carefully outlined images and sym/ols.Artists suort t&e clot& on an inerted cala/as& &ile ainting it& a /am/oo stic' oriron satula. T&e ti of t&e satula is used for outlining2 &ile t&e flattened surface ismore suita/le for sreading t&e mud in larger areas. T&e /orders are dran first2 andt&e design is or'ed inard. After t&e first time*consuming mud alication dries2 t&eclot& is t&en died in ater to remoe any excess mud articles. :ext2 it is soa'ed in

t&e leaf solution a second time and dried. (ogolanfini designs are usually retraced it&mud at least one more time2 and sometimes een a t&ird alication is needed toroduce t&e desired dar'ness. Extra mud coatings also rotect t&e material fromfading.

Cines diide a clot& into fie different design areas. T&ese lines are t&e /ones orLs'eletonL of t&e oerall design2 determining t&e su/se=uent atterns it& &ic& t&eclot& ill /e coered. 9&ile (ogolan designs are often a/stract reresentations ofcommonly 'non o/5ects t&e urose of t&e message is to document significantmoments in artistsM ersonal &istories. T&e reetition of t&e same design is common2alt&oug& many different designs can /e laced toget&er to reresent a ell*'non

&istorical eent or to commemorate a local &ero. ?erall2 /ogolanfini offers a means fordislaying as ell as assing along olitical and moral messages. (ogolanfini is an artform of continual eolution2 lending itself to many situations and interests &ileremaining rooted in cultural tradition and African aest&etics.


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/asic lines and s&aes. 9&at is most imortant a/out t&e sym/ols@ Cetters2colors2 s&aes@ T&ese c&aracteristics s&ould come t&roug& in t&eir design.

4. In order to understand &o designs are made on mud clot&s2 students s&ouldfirst s'etc& t&eir design onto aer t&en fill in around it it& color. T&is is similarto t&e rocess used to aly color to mud clot&.

;. To ta'e t&e assignment a ste furt&er for older grous2 students can createdislays t&at incororate t&eir a/stract design it& &otogra&s of t&e images t&esym/ols ere /ased on. $ontrast t&ese student assignments it& an image of a(ogolanfini mud clot& exlaining its sym/olism. 7ee t&eAdditional "esourceslist at t&e end of t&is /oo'let for ideas on &ere to find images of African textiles.


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A!.ance! Acti.it- 7 ("ba Clot%Reco,,en!e! for #ra!es 692


Ob:ecti.es

7tudents ill examine t&e rocess of creating a textile. 7tudents ill t&in' a/out ceremonies2 /ot& in t&e ast and resent2 in a glo/al

sense.

In!iana Aca!e,ic Stan!ar!s ,et b- t%is acti.it-;is"al Art7 +.1.12 D.1.,2 D.1.32 8.,.12 H.1.,Social St"!ies7 %.;.42 1.;.;2 ,.;.32 ,.;.42 D.;.12 D.;.,2 D.;.32 D.;.4

S"''lies

Images of African art from t&e IAs collectionF%u/a clot& !digitally ro5ected or

rinted out &ardcoy#

Intro!"ction%u/a clot&2 t&e imressie em/roidered and ali=uN fa/ric of t&e %u/a eole2 is t&e/est*'non examle of t&e ancient African tradition of raffia clot& eaing.

T&e ceremonial occasions and court rituals t&at em/roidered raffia clot& ere originallyroduced for are rare eents today. T&e surial of raffia eaing and em/roiderytec&ni=ues is tied to t&e imortance t&ese clot&s lay in todayMs funeral cele/rations.T&e %u/a /eliee t&at &ig& =uality2 correctly atterned raffia dress is t&e 'ey to /eingrecognied /y clan ancestors in t&e land of t&e dead. "or t&is reason2 families resere

t&e clot&s and ass t&em don t&roug& generations.

T&e %u/a are a grou of eoles t&at lie in t&e region formally 'non as Oaire in$entral Africa. T&ey are famous around t&e orld for t&eir raffia clot&s2 usually in t&es&ae of a rectangular or s=uare mat. en and omen 5ointly roduce t&ese mats.T&e men eae t&e /asic s=uare mat on a ertical loom using raffia2 alm*leaf fi/erst&at &ae /een stried2 ru//ed2 and scraed !7ie/er2 1-D,#. T&e omen t&en dye t&emats2 se t&em toget&er2 and em/roider t&em. It is omen &o roduce t&e mostla/orious and restigious tye of clot& decoration.

It ta'es a/out a mont& of consistent or' for a oman to comlete one small s=uare of

%u/a em/roidery using a la/orious tec&ni=ue t&at includes dying2 detailed needleor'and cliing indiidual tufts of t&read. Excet for noices2 designs are created as t&ecrafter roceeds2 usually ela/orating on one of t&e more t&an ,00 traditional atterns2most &ic& are identified /y name. T&e same atterns are used on ot&er %u/a artforms2 including ood sculture2 metalor'ing2 mat ma'ing and omenMs /odyscarification.

Brocess and Tec&ni=ue)


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T&e most renoned em/roidery tec&ni=ue is called cut*ile. $ut*ile clot&s are alsocalled %asai elets2 6/ecause of t&eir elety texture and /ecause t&e %u/a lie neart&e %asai ier !Hogart&2 1--;#. T&e tec&ni=ue inoles t&e use of a needle to ullery fine t&reads of raffia t&roug& t&e /ase mat and t&en out again. T&e raffia is cut

it& a secial 'nife 5ust a fe millimeters from t&e surface of t&e mat so t&at a 6*s&ae of raffia remains. After t&is is reeated t&ousands of times2 a soft elety texture

is ac&ieed. T&is rocess is ery intricate and la/orious for omen2 and one mat canta'e u to a year to comlete. (ecause of t&e intense la/or inoled in t&e ma'ing of%asai elets2 t&ey are considered to /e alua/le and restigious.

T&e %u/a omen &ae a general idea of t&e design or attern t&ey ant to em/roideronto t&e mat /efore t&ey start2 /ut t&e entire rocess of em/roidery is done frommemory. As or' on t&e clot& rogresses2 different ariations and irregularities deelot&roug& t&is imroisational tec&ni=ue. Alt&oug& eac& clot& is uni=ue2 most &ae ageometric t&eme using rectangles and triangles as t&e /asic s&aes. T&e most oularcolors are /lac'2 yello2 /eige and red for t&e em/roidery2 and in some regions t&eunderlying mat is dyed urle.

T&e elety cut*ile clot&s are indeed t&e most restigious of t&e %u/a eole2 /ut raffiaclot& is also used in ot&er ays to roduce decoratie textiles. $enturies ago2 t&e %u/a

ore lainly oen raffia clot&s. 9&en &oles aeared or t&e clot& ore t&in2 ieces ofclot& ould /e ali=uNd on to of t&e existing clot&. 9&en t&e %u/a discoered t&einteresting effect created /y t&is tec&ni=ue2 t&ey started to ali=uN different designsacross t&e raffia clot&. T&is tec&ni=ue2 &ic& started as a ay of rolonging t&e life ofraffia clot&2 &as eoled into a met&od roducing ery intricate ali=uN.

Hogart&2 (rian. "a/ric of African Cife) Introducing 9est African Textiles. Indianaolis) Indianaolisuseum of Art2 Education


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used to recognie /irt&s2 deat&s2 eddings2 coming of age and ot&er secialoccasions.

4. 7tudents can or' in grous or as indiiduals to create a resentation2 eit&er adislay or a digital slide s&o2 &ic& can /e s&ared it& t&e grou. 7tart /yexamining African cultures and end u it& examles from t&eir on families.

Assignments can /e /ased on c&ronology2 geogra&y or textiles function.

7ome examles include)

African ceremonial dress

aanese 'imono

Indian sari

9estern edding gons

$&ristening gons

Traditional exican dress no often used in erformance

:atie American costume


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3iblio$ra'%-

(ar/our2 ane and


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A!!itional Reso"rces

4ebsites7

&tt)PP.ima*art.orgPcyclesPindex.&tmlVisit t&e IAs e/site and exlore t&is interactie on*line actiity to learn more a/out

arts role in eeryday life in Africa.

&tt)PPencarta.msn.comPA general encycloedic resource for researc&

&tt)PP./s.orgPnetPafricaPActiities for c&ildren as ell as teac&ers can /e found on t&is B(7 site loo'ing atAfrican life.

&tt)PP.nytimes.comPagesPorldPafricaP$urrent :e or' Times reorting on nes from Africa

&tt)PP.africa.uenn.eduPHomeRBageP$ountry.&tmlA list of resources organied /y African country created /y t&e niersity ofBennsylania
http://www.ima-art.org/cycles/index.htmlhttp://encarta.msn.com/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/http://www.nytimes.com/pages/world/africa/http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Home_Page/Country.htmlhttp://www.ima-art.org/cycles/index.htmlhttp://encarta.msn.com/http://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/http://www.nytimes.com/pages/world/africa/http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Home_Page/Country.html

african textiles resource guide

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