African Textile Use and Creation

Some of the eye catching and unique textile patterns of Africa caught my eye and I decided to look up a bit of background on some of these beautiful creations. I find it amazing how more African Americans are not immersed in fashion designs based on these textiles. I seems like there is so much potential for mutual benefit to be had in developing relationships with the creators of these quality materials. I can see custom handmade clothing from original high grade African textiles that are imported using only quality controlled mateterials. Even commercially produced textiles using designs created by African artisans can be used in some manner. Everyone wears clothes the only thing preventing the popularity of this material among brothers and sisters in America is the lack of creative marketing.



Ndomo is a textile workshop where traditional and modern cloths are designed and made, using natural dyes from leaves, bark, and clay. This process is called 'bogolan', or mud cloth. This center was founded in 1990 by Boubacar Doumbia. It is located in Pelengana, close to the city of Ségou (Mali). The term Ndomo refers to the first phase of the (former) Bamana initiation societies, through which young people are integrated into social life. Solidarity, sharing and a sense of responsibility are traditional values of the Bamana, one of the largest ethnic groups in Mali. Ndomo offers social security and stability by offering education based on local knowledge, and jobs. This film consists of fragments of the dvd "Ndomo - solidarité et partage", Samaké Records 08, and lasts 4,5 minutes. (see: www.elisabethdenotter.nl)



A Sierra Leonean with 15 years in Bamako's Tie Dye industry explains the ins and out and much loved making of the 'bamako bazin'.


Adire
Adire (Yoruba — tie and dye) textile is the indigo dyed cloth made in south western Nigeria by Yoruba women, using a variety of resist dye techniques. As the translation of the name suggests, the earliest pieces of this type were probably simple tied designs on cotton cloth handspun and woven locally (rather like those still produced in Mali), but in the early decades of the 20th century new access to large quantities of imported shirting material via the spread of European textile merchants in Abeokuta and other Yoruba towns caused a boom in these women's entrepreneurial and artistic efforts, making adire a major local craft in Abeokuta and Ibadan, attracting buyers from all over West Africa. The cloth's basic shape became that of two pieces of shirting material stitched together to create a women's wrapper cloth. New techniques of resist dyeing developed, such as "adire eleko" (hand-painting designs onto cloth with a cassava starch paste prior to dyeing), along with a new style more suited to rapid mass production (using metal stencils cut from the sheets of tin that lined tea chests, using sewn raffia and/or tied sections, or folding the cloths repeatedly before tying or stitching them in place). Most of the designs were named, with popular ones including the jubilee pattern, (first produced for the silver jubilee of George V and Queen Mary in 1935), Olokun ("goddess of the sea"), and Ibadadun ("Ibadan is sweet"). However, by the end of the 1930s the spread of synthetic indigo and caustic soda and an influx of new less skilled entrants caused quality problems and a still-present collapse in demand. Though the more complex and beautiful starch resist designs continued to be produced until the early 1970s, but despite a revival prompted largely by the interest of US Peace Corps workers in the 1960s, never regained their earlier popularity. In the present day simplified stencilled designs and some better quality tie & die and stitch-resist designs are still produced, but local taste favours "kampala" (multi-coloured wax resist cloth, sometimes also known as adire by a few people).

The School-to-Prison Pipeline Gets Its First-Ever Airing in the Senate - COLORLINES

The School-to-Prison Pipeline Gets Its First-Ever Airing in the Senate - COLORLINES

Youth Killed As Man Fires Multiple Rounds Into Carload of Unarmed Teens. One is Killed The Rest Traumatized.

On November 23 in Jacksonville Florida Michael Dunn apparently armed with a handgun (concealed?) approched a vehicle in which several youth were listening to music which Dunn deemed was too loud.
A verbal argument ensued the result of which was that Dunn fired multiple rounds into the vehicule containing the unarmed youths, killing 17 year old Jordan Davis. Fortunately none of the others were seriously injured physically but were no doubt traumatized by the experience and the loss of their friend. Dunn then apparently fled the scene and was apprehendeded later by police.

African American Icon Paul Robeson

Africa Today featured Paul Robeson
(don't miss the audio files at the bottom part of this article)

This program was aired a few years ago but I felt like pushing it up to the top of the blog because we need some inspiration of the kind that mr. Robeson has demonstrated. He stood up for what he believed in and in terms of money and career it cost him dearly but he stood up for what he believed in. We need to remember the sacrifices made by people such as Paul Robeson and teach our children that we can make this place a better place for all people if we stay on track

Walter Turner of Africa Today is featured  Black  Super Hero Paul Robeson.

 Robeson worked as a social activist on behalf of the common working people. He could have enjoyed immense personal success and wealth but he chose the high road. 

 We've all heard of Mr.Robeson but how many of us know about the sacrifices he made or how he stood up to the House Un-American Activities Committee with statements like "You are the Un-Americans and you should be ashamed of yourselves." Wow!

 Turner in the midst of a KPFA fund drive is offering  a Freedom Archives CD of Mr. Robeson but he is also playing selected parts on his podcast - This stuff really knocked my socks off. 

You have to hear it. (Recorded Program Here)

This extra recording is Robeson testifying at the HUAC from the Black Media Archives,           (click here to listen) I recommend you listen to this one.

 See also A Biography of Paul Robeson 

@BaltoSpectator BPD SWAT Standoff

Late yesterday evening Internet a Blogger/Tweeter Reporter Live-Casted a SWAT raid on his home.
James MacArthur using his twitter login @BaltoSpectator tweeted and live-casted his encounter with a SWAT team negociator Lt. Yerg.

MacArthur who publishes an independent Blog The Baltimore Spectator apparently had an outstanding warrant for missing a court date. Some how on the evening of Saturday December 1st this escalated into a standoff between Mr MacArthur and a Baltimore PD SWAT Team.

Click here to listen to this encounter.