Tribal Textiles

By: Jake da Motta Photos: Tribal Textiles

The South Luangwa National Park in Zambia is world-renowned for superb game viewing in a remote and beautiful wilderness area. As a tourist visiting the park, the last thing you would expect to find there is a creative, hand-painted textiles workshop producing stunning, high quality home furnishings. But that’s exactly what Tribal Textiles is.

Tribal was started twenty five years ago this year by director and owner Gillie Lightfoot, who fills in the story... “The textiles started from simple beginnings, under winterthorn trees in a small safari camp on the banks of the Luangwa River. We set up some makeshift tables on logs and started working with art technique books with trial and error, with time and patience. From our limited bush resources—a wood-fired kiln and running water in the shallows of the river out of the reach of crocodiles, Tribal slowly emerged. Inspiration for our early designs came from the environment and the wildlife on the doorstep of this remote little industry. Tribal grew slowly with the support of local safari operators and tourism. Orders were made on the HF radio, in those days of no phones or emails, and delivered by me in my Land Cruiser by driving 8 hours through the bush to the nearest camps.”

The technique used is a relatively simple starch resist method derived from Mali mud cloth. Individual designs are drawn freehand onto cotton with a flour and water starch solution. The starched pieces are then dried in the African sun before being hand-painted by local artists. The paints are mixed by hand using primary pigments and a base emulsion. Colours are matched by eye to swatches created by Gillie in different colourways. After painting, the pieces are baked, which makes the dye colour-fast and fully washable.

Following cooking, each piece is washed and the softened starch designs are carefully scraped off to reveal the finished product. The pieces are then sewn up into finished items ready for sale. that is opening up new interiors markets for them. She has also expanded to create a sister company Jackal and Hide, that works with local Zambian leather and artisans. Watch this space for the next chapter….. TL Z

Today, Tribal Textiles employs over 100 local people and exports to more than 20 countries worldwide. The company is one of the biggest employers in the area, providing sustainable employment and training in an area where jobs are scarce. They also co-fund the local community school, Malimba, and support the local Hanada Orphanage.

As well as a thriving retail outlet in Mfuwe and an established export market, Tribal has recently launched an online shop, shipping around the world direct from their Mfuwe HQ. It’s an exciting development for the company and a challenge being

so remote, but with the majority of retail businesses going online they are moving with the times and bringing Luangwa to the world.

Gillie continues to work on new ranges with Tribal as they develop different techniques and systems that keep things fresh and modern. At the end of last year they released a vibrant new hand-screen printed range

www.tribaltextiles.co.zm http://shop.tribaltextiles.co.zm www.jackalandhide.net