Old Bamoun Indigo fabric 10.02.2062
This splendid piece of resist-stitched, indigo-dyed cloth is known as ndop, and such cloths tell a remarkable story relating to trade within Africa.
Cloths such as this example was produced by the Bamileke people of the Cameroon grasslands. The example here comprises at least 19 narrow panels of strip-woven cotton cloth, most probably woven in the Garoua region, north of Cameroon from where it was brought south to the Bamileke villages where it was then stitched by Bamileke women into geometric resist designs using strong raffia thread. Thereafter, the cloth was taken back to Garoua where it was dyed indigo-blue in the dye-pits. Once dry, the cloth was transported back to the Bamileke who would unpick all the stitching to reveal the indigo-against-white background designs. The cloths were then used for a variety of purposes including as backdrops for ceremonies. (Gillow, 1995, p. 186).
cit. Backman
