Akwete cloth

Akwete cloth is a unique hand woven textile produced in Igboland for which the town of Akwete in Abia state, Nigeria is famous. The traditional Igbo weaving as demonstrated in Akwete processes sisal, hemp, raffia, cotton or other fibres into finished products.[1] While the coarse raffia materials are used by masquerades and in the past as head gear for warriors among other uses, the hemp material was used to weave towels, ropes and handbags. The more comfortable and colorful spun cotton is used to weave cloth for everyday wearing.

Nigerian woman handweaving akwete cloth

Technique

Weaving is done on a loom. There are two types of loom, the horizontal loom used by men and the vertical loom used by women. Traditionally most of the weaving is done by women. A continuous warp thread gives a solid color background for the motifs. A two color warp background is also used which produces a blended color effect. An iridescent color effect can also be produced when the warp is one color and the base weft (as opposed to decorative motive weft) another.[2] Fabrics are woven to be single faced or double faced, that is the motifs show on both sides. Base fabric is mostly low twist yarn cotton, with the decorative motifs consisting of coarser or heavier spun cotton, low twist silk, or shiny rayon. Cotton and rayon combinations give a multicolored, brocaded look.[2] Earth colors seem to predominate traditionally, but the contemporary access to imported dyes and colored cotton thread has broadened the spectrum.

Motifs

The weavers in Akwete claim to know over a hundred different motifs but not more than three or four are usually used simultaneously on one piece of cloth. Traditionally the creator of a new motif is granted an unwritten copyright.[1] This is explained by the inspirational aspect of the development of motifs in the society, certain motifs being regarded as gifts of creative inspiration from a divinity.[3] Social status plays a role in the wearing of Akwete cloth, certain motifs being reserved for royalty, or used as a talisman to protect warriors going into battle or women in pregnancy.[1] Some patterns are reserved for special families or occasions because of circumstances pertaining to motif origin.[3]

Notes
  1. Akwete cloth: An Igbo textile art Vanguard Newspaper JULY 26, 2012
  2. Akwete Cloth and Its Motifs, Marian Davis, African Arts Vol. 7, No. 3 (Spring, 1974), p. 22 Published by: UCLA James S. Coleman African Studies Center
  3. Akwete Cloth and Its Motifs, Marian Davis African Arts Vol. 7, No. 3 (Spring, 1974), p. 25 Published by: UCLA James S. Coleman African Studies Center
gollark: We have a bunch of instincts and desires about socialisation because ??? evolution in a way we don't particularly (in general) for PRNG output or something.
gollark: Not all complex things are also emotionally salient and... interesting? That isn't really right.
gollark: That seems very poetic but also probably wrong.
gollark: Motor control stuff probably spends lots of effort on modelling friction and gravity and kinematics and muscle output and whatever, but I don't believe that's plugged into "general intelligence" functions like social interaction is.
gollark: I think it's relevant, though.

References
  • The British Museum picture and description, Register 1956, Cat. no. 80 : Cotton cloth (Akwete) Exhibited: 1995, London, Barbican Art Gallery, The Art of African Textiles
  • The British Museum picture and description, museum number Af1934,0307.115 acquisition date 1934, donated by: Charles A Beving.
  • Powerhousemuseum Website picture of Akwete cloth retrieved 03.04.2013

Further reading
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