indigo cloth

unrecorded Hausa-Fulani artist, artist

indigo cloth, 1980

Where object was made: Kano, Nigeria

Material/technique: tie-dyeing; indigo; cotton

Dimensions:
Object Length/Width (Length x Width): 172 x 113 cm
Object Length/Width (Length x Width): 44 1/2 x 67 11/16 in

Credit line: Gift of Professor Beverly Mack

Accession number: 2011.0245

Not on display

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The indigo plant (Indigofera) has been used as a textile dye for centuries. In Africa, indigo-dying was introduced in southern Tunisia during the Middle Ages, and spread throughout the continent. During the sixteenth century, Portuguese traders introduced European indigo dye to West Africa. Hausaland, located in northern Nigeria and southern Niger, has long served as one of the largest centers of indigo-dying in West Africa. This particular cloth is a Hausa indigo-dyed wrap meant for a woman. The garment is tie-dyed with the “three baskets” pattern, named for the three motifs of concentric circles. It is common for the Hausa to purchase a piece of indigo cloth and take it to a tailor for a custom-made dress, skirt, pants, or riga, a men’s robe with embroidered designs.