Fabrics

“Bògòlanfini” commonly known as “Bogolan” is originally a handmade Malian cotton fabric traditionally dyed with fermented mud. It has an important place in traditional Malian culture and has, more recently, become a symbol of Malian cultural identity. Immediately after childbirth, women are wrapped in Bogolan cloth, as it is believed to have the power to absorb pain and deflect anything negative or dangerous.

 

African Wax prints, Dutch wax prints or Ankara, are omnipresent and common materials for clothing in West Africa and Central Africa. They are colourful cotton cloths with batik-inspired printing. Wax prints are a type of nonverbal communication among African women, and thereby carry their messages out into the world.