Missouri State University

Skip to content Skip to navigation
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Art History Virtual Exhibition

Bògòlan African Mud Cloth Bamana culture 20th century Cotton and Pigment, L. 98.5 cm x W. 1 mm x H. 50 cm. BFPC collection #2017.7

African Mud Cloth: Researched and Conserved by Wendi Pyle-Fields

August, 2020 by Sarah Teel

Bògòlan, also known as bokolanfini, is a type of decorated cloth made by the Bamana peoples of Mali, in Western Africa.  Traditional bògòlan is made by women artisans who spin and weave locally grown cotton to make long strips of cloth that are about five inches wide, and then sew the strips together into large panels. These panels are then dyed with local iron-rich mud deposits to create geometric motifs. Bògòlan cloths are distinctive in using a negative technique, where the designs appear in white and the background is dark brown to nearly black.  Traditionally the geometric motifs on the cloths likely referred to historical events, mythological characters, or proverbs, but today much of the meaning of these motifs have been lost as non-specialists create non-traditional combinations of motifs on cloth made for the tourist trade.

The most famous use of bògòlan mud cloth is in coming-of-age rituals for adolescent Bamana girls. In the past, these cloths were used to dress girls after excision, a controversial practice also known as female circumcision. However, while excision practices have diminished, the use of bògòlan has continued to be used to symbolize coming-of-age ceremonies. Bògòlan is also used for men’s hunting clothes, and on these types of bògòlan, the white motifs are often dyed a deep yellow so that the cloth serves as camouflage, helping the men blend into the leaves.

 

Bògòlan African Mud Cloth
Bamana culture
20th century
Cotton and Pigment, L. 98.5 cm x W. 1 mm x H. 50 cm.
BFPC collection #2017.7

 

 

For more information, you may contact the researcher(s) noted in the title of this exhibit entry, or Dr. Billie Follensbee, the professor of the course, at BillieFollensbee@MissouriState.edu

Filed Under: 2017 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts Tagged With: africa, african art, bamana culture, bogolan, bogolan african mud cloth, female circumcision, mud cloth

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Categories

  • 2017 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2017 Spring, ART 485: Art of Mesoamerica
  • 2018 Fall, ART 385: Art of the Americas
  • 2019 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2019 Spring, ART 485: Art of Mesoamerica
  • 2020 Fall, ART 487: Art of the Americas
  • 2021 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2021 Spring, ART 485: Art of Mesoamerica
  • Art History Virtual Exhibit

Tags

19th century 20th century 20th century art africa african art american midwest american midwest ozarks culture aztec mestizo culture beadwork bonniebrook ceramic ceramics colombia conservation early 20th century early 21st century early 21st century art embroidery fijian culture footstone formative period Great Plains Cultures headstone iroquois culture lakota culture late 20th century late 20th century art maya culture maya mestizo culture metal artifacts mexican mestizo cultures Navajo/Diné culture oceania ozarks culture panama peru preclassic/formative period reproduction reproductions rose o'neill seed beads tarahumara culture textile tourist trade art zapotec culture

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Make your Missouri statementMake your Missouri statement
  • Last Modified: January 22, 2023
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Disclosures
  • EO/AA/M/F/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
  • © 2013 Board of Governors, Missouri State University
  • Contact Information