Tasteful Textiles

Authentic Bogolanfini


Tasteful: in good taste, refined, cultured,
elegant, aesthetically pleasing

Textiles: woven or knit cloth

Authentic: genuine, real, bona fide, legitimate, true

 

Textiles have long been used as an inspiration for art and wall décor. Bogolanfini is one of the best known African cloth traditions. Bogolanfini (also known as mudcloth) originates from Mali’s Bamana culture.

The word ‘bogolanfini’ is a composite of bogo meaning “earth” or “mud”; lan, meaning “with” or “by means of”; and fini meaning “cloth”. Although usually translated as “mud cloth”, bogolan actually refers to a clay slip with a high iron content that produces a black pigment when applied to handspun and handwoven cotton textiles.

This ancient art form involves weaving handmade Malian cotton cloth and dyeing it with fermented mud. It has an important place in traditional Malian culture that is worn by hunters as camouflage and is worn as a badge of status. Women are wrapped in bogolanfini after their initiation into adulthood and immediately after childbirth.

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Bogolanfini patterns are rich in cultural significance, referring to historical events (such as a famous battle between a Malian warrior and the French). Crocodiles (significant in Bambara mythology) or other mythological concepts or proverbs. Since about 1980 Bogolanfini has become a symbol of Malian cultural identity.

We, Tasteful Textiles, also offer our Limited Edition African Kuba cloth on canvas creations. Using the leaf of the raffia tree, the Kuba people of the Congo hand cut then weave the strips of leaf to make pieces of fabric; often called raffia cloth. Each different group of the Kuba people have different and unique ways to make the fabric. Each piece is symbolic and the patterns are arranged to tell a story.  Africaimports.com (see symbols below).

Come with Tasteful Textiles as we offer authentic bogolanfini & Kuba cloth textiles that we mount on canvas, pillows,  benches, etc. … just to make your home or office an elegantly stunning place to reside. Each of our Tasteful Textile creations are original, unique, authentic African textiles, never duplicated, replicated nor printed.

 

 

African Symbols

Below we have displayed a few of the most significant African Symbols and their meanings. These are usually the vibrant designs that you see in African Fabrics.