Notes

These cloths are called Odanudo which literally translates to 'skilled cloth'. They served as a store of wealth and were worn on special occasions to demonstrate social status and wealth.

“Ewe arts focus on drumming and dance, ritual objects associated with Ewe traditional religion, applique and weaving. Colour, pattern, materials and images, are used to communicate important information about cultural identity and belief systems. Images in textile design are connected to the proverbial wisdom, folklore and mythic traditions that undergird all aspects of Ewe traditional society.” ¹

Exactly how this weaving technique, which is rooted in a nomadic world from beyond the Sahara, came to be established and refined to the level it has in the colourful robes of Ewe and Asante elite, can never be chartered with precision.

These people, who were steeped in a tradition of creative embellishment, took the technique of strip-weaving and developed it’s potential for the intricate and vibrant use of colour and design, to create a powerful form of human expression.

^1. Malika Kramer (2006 ) 'Origin Disputed: The Making, Use and Evaluation of Ghanaian Textiles' Afrique Archeologie Arts, vol 4, pages 53-76.

^2. Peter Adler and Nicholas Barnard (1993) African Majesty: The Textile Art of the Ashanti and Ewe. London: Thames and Hudson.

Provenance

Michael Heuermann Collection.