This exhibition showcases a range of textile artworks from Wits Art Museum’s holdings. It explores the richness of Africa’s textile heritage. Narrative threads are woven together to highlight the diversity of weaving processes, styles, and uses of textiles in Africa. This education resource will guide you on your journey of unravelling the relationships between the textile artworks on display. Through engaging with the activities in this booklet, you will practice interpreting and expressing your thoughts about art.
This book belongs to:________________________________________
Artist unrecorded, Tuareg, Sahel, Arkilla Munga (Wedding blanket / saddle cloth), front view, c1950, wool, cotton, 178 x 285 cm. Standard Bank African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum). Acquired 2007
What are textiles?
Textiles are cloths that are made from natural or synthetic fibres. Natural fibres are made from plants or animals. Some plant-based natural fibres come from raffia and cotton. Raffia is a type of palm tree native to tropical regions. Kuba Cut-pile Embroidery used for mats, was a form of currency in the past, is made from raffia fibre.
Silk, derived from silkworms or mopani worms, and wool from sheep and goats are animal-based natural fibres. MaXhosa Africa, a contemporary South African knitwear brand, founded by designer Laduma Ngxokolo, incorporates patterns and designs from the AmaXhosa heritage in woollen garments
Let’s describe
Look at the varied fibres, textures and patterns of the artworks on exhibition. Imagine what it might feel like to run your hand along the different textiles.
Write down some adjectives that describe the textures you see:
Artist unrecorded, Kuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cut-pile embroidery (descriptive title), date unrecorded, raffia fibre. 82 x 48 cm. Standard Bank of African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum) – Acquired 2000
Raffia
Laduma Ngxokolo, Maxhosa Africa Cardigan, c2021, 80% merino wool, 20% Kid mohair, buttons. 71 x 138 cm. Presented in 2021 by Karel Nel to Wits Art Museum. Image published with permission from Maxhosa Africa
Shifting traditions
Synthetic fibres, like polyester, acrylic and nylons have been developed by scientists using chemical blends instead of natural resources. Today, synthetically made textiles are cheaper to produce than natural textiles. For example, the NoSinky Blankets, created by Sophie Msoziswa Mahlangu in partnership with Aranda Textiles are made of acrylic fibres. NoSinky Blankets are contemporary imibhalo (plural of umbhalo) blankets that Ndebele women receive when they get married. Married women wear their imibhalo to important social events.
Let’s talk in pairs
What are some of your families’ traditions that have changed as new technologies have become available?
Glossary
Natural refers to something that comes from nature and is not made by people.
Synthetic refers to something that is artificially made or created by humans, often through chemical processes or manufacturing techniques.
A garment is any piece of clothing.
Artificial refers to something that is made by humans, often through intentional design, rather than occurring naturally.
Left to right: NoJomo, Masango Marry, Sophie Msoziswa Mahlangu, Skosana Mariatlana and Masango Nomadlodl wearing NoSinky Blankets by Sophie Msoziswa Mahlangu in partnership with Aranda at the product launch in 2022. Image courtesy of Aranda Textiles.
Tools of the trade
Textiles are customarily made by weaving threads together to form cloth. Weaving entails stretching a set of parallel threads on a loom to create the “warp”, and then pulling a thread, called the “weft” at a right angle over and under the “warp” threads, back and forth to create the cloth.
This drawing shows the process of weaving on a narrow loom. The width of the loom limits the size of the cloth that can be woven. Heddle pulleys are hand carved parts of narrow looms that hold up the heddle cords used to separate the warp threads.
Asante Men’s Kente are strip-woven textiles historically made for royalty, and worn on special occasions, such as weddings, funerals and festivals. The strips of cloth are woven by men. The strips are then sewn together by women to make the large textiles on exhibition.
Let’s find
Find the heddle pulleys in the Maria Stein-Lessing and Leopold Spiegel cabinet. Can you imagine how the pulley is used? Which one is your favourite? Write what you like about it here:
Artist unrecorded, Asante, Ghana, Men’s Kente (descriptive title), c1975, silk and rayon. 220 x 324 cm. Standard Bank African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum). Acquired 1991
Glossary
A loom is an apparatus used to weave cloth.
A proverb is a short saying that expresses a truth, or offers advice.
Back row: Group of Heddle pulleys, Senufo, Baule and Guro; Burkino Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali, wood. Tallest: 20cm. Standard Bank African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum). Acquired 1984 - 2010
Front row: Adinkra Stamps, Asante; Ghana, carved calabash. Tallest: 11cm. Standard Bank African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum). Acquired 1993
Meaning is added to textiles by the incorporation of symbolic and decorative elements. For example, Adinkra cloth made by the Asante peoples of Ghana, is patterned with symbols that communicate Asante values. Symbols that relate to Asante proverbs are carved onto stamps which are made from calabashes. The stamps are used to print patterns on the dyed cloth.
Let’s draw
Take a moment to observe the intricate patterns and symbols on the Adinkra stamps.
Make a drawing of the print pattern that your favorite stamp would make:
The art of pattern
Tessellations are intricate patterns formed by arranging identical, often geometric, shapes in a manner that covers a surface seamlessly, without gaps or overlaps. Each shape interlocks like a puzzle piece, creating visually interesting designs like those on this Kuba Plaque (Man’s Dancing Skirt).
Let’s think out loud
Can you think of any other examples of tessellations in nature or the built environment? List as many examples as you think of here:
Tessellations occur in nature in pineapple skins and tortoise shells. They can be seen in the built environment on brick walls and paving stones. Tessellations are prominent in Islamic art and architecture. In North African regions such as Morocco and Egypt, tessellations are found on various buildings like mosques and palaces.
Make your own tessellation design by drawing a pattern with repeated geometric shapes that have no gaps between them in the grid below. Make sure each of your shapes fills the block it occupies. Look at the example on the left, and other textiles on exhibition for inspiration. Add colour to your pattern to make your design even more visually interesting.
Types of textiles
Mud Cloth is made by dyeing strip-woven cotton cloth with fermented mud and dye made of plant leaves and corn. Designs are painted with fermented mud. The cloth is then dyed, and left to dry in the sun. Once dry, the mud is shaken off and the cloth is rinsed, leaving the design where the mud was.
Bark cloth is a textile made by stripping, soaking, and beating inner tree barks. The bark is harvested yearly to promote tree regeneration Different colours and textures result from the way the bark is treated.
Cotton in Africa was first grown by subsistence farmers. Archeologists have found evidence of cotton growing, picking, spinning and weaving as early as the fifth-century in what is present-day Sudan.
Cotton textiles have been discovered in archaeological sites across Mali, Ethiopia, and Somalia. These pieces of the past help us understand how the peoples of Africa have been making and trading textiles for hundreds of years.
Artist unrecorded, Senufo, Burkino Faso; Côte d’Ivoire and Mali, Mud Cloth, c.1980 - 2000, cotton textile, vegetable dye and mud dye. 110 x 185 cm. Standard Bank African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum). Acquired 2013
Let’s work in pairs
Look carefully at the Senufo Mud Cloth, and name the animals that are drawn. Then, talk with each other about why the artist chose to draw these animals?
Share your answers with the larger group.
Glossary
Fermentation is a process of decay, in which substances are broken down by bacteria.
Regeneration is a process of healing and regrowth wherein cells are replaced.
A subsistence farmer refers to an individual that owns or manages a farm to provide for their family.
Archaeologists study the distant past through finding and analysing objects from human history that they find buried in the ground.
Artist unrecorded, Batwa/Bambuti, Central Africa, Bark Cloth, date unrecorded, beaten tree bark. 45.5 x 74 cm. Standard Bank African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum). Acquired 1992
Artist unrecorded, Bamileke, Cameroon, Ndop (Display Cloth), date unrecorded, cotton, indigo-dye, 221 x 418 cm. Standard Bank African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum collection). Acquired 1999
Commemorative cloths
Commemorative cloths are factory-printed textiles that mark important social, political, religious or community events. Commemorative cloths are customarily affordable, and vibrantly coloured with strong design elements, such as an image of a political leader or clenched fist. Commemorative cloths provide meaningful and creative ways to build community, because they make political and social connections visible.
Commemorative cloths became popular political campaigning tools after 1957 when Kwame Nkrumah became the first prime minister of Ghana. An image of his face was printed on cotton fabrics to commemorate the historic event. Later, other independence movements across Africa began to produce commemorative cloths too.
Artist unrecorded, Angola / Mozambique, Cuidado Minas Capulana (Be Careful Mines), c1995, 112.3 x 158 cm. Presented in 1996 by Silk & Textile Industries to Wits Art Museum
Let’s write
Glossary A commemoration is an act of remembring and honouring important people, events, or milestones.
Have you ever attended a memorial, funeral service, graduation ceremony or a birthday party? All of these are different kinds of commemorations. What special moment stands out? Write a poem or message that captures the spirit of the commemorative event:
Artist unrecorded, South Africa, President Nelson Mandela Cloth, c1994, 113 x 156.2cm. Presented in 1996 by Silk & Textile Industries to Wits Art Museum.
Artist unrecorded, United Nations, Hold Hands for Peace Scarf, c 1995, 78.5 x 78.6cm. Presented in 1996 by Silk & Textile Industries to Wits Art Museum
Creating meaning
So far we have explored what artworks mean for the communities who make and use them. When we look carefully and think about artworks, we make meaning for ourselves by relating what we think and feel about the artworks to the information we have at hand.
Sharing our intepretations with each other helps us understand more about the artworks, the artists and our community.
Let’s practice creating and sharing meanings about art by interpreting Vulani Maswanganyi’s artwork 1994 Election Nceka together. Work in a small group, and answer the questions below. Write your groups’ answers in the space provided.
What do you see in this artwork? Describe the artwork in as much detail as possible.
What clues has the artist left for us to know how to read, and understand what the artwork is about?
What do you think the crosses and fish symbolise in this artwork? Have you seen these symbols used in other contexts? If yes, explain where:
How does this artwork make you feel?
What do you think the artist might be saying through this artwork?
What skills did you use when interpreting this artwork together?
Threads of status
Textiles are sometimes used as a marker of social status to communicate rank, class, and age. They can also be used to observe important events like birth, death, and a new stage of life, for example a Yoruba asa oke (top cloth) is usually worn for significant life events such as baby naming ceremonies, important birthdays, and wedding engagements amongst other ceremonies.
Do you remember?
What other textiles in this exhibition show social status? Write down at least one example here:
Title: What status is communicated?
Artist unrecorded, Yoruba, Nigeria, Asa Oke, date unrecorded, cotton and silk. 126 x 207 cm. Standard Bank African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum). Acquired 2001
Throughout this exhibition we have explored the rich diversity of textiles from Africa that are in the WAM collections.
We have considered how the textiles are made, what they mean for the communities who make them, and how they connect to what we think, feel and believe.
We have discovered that engaging carefully with textiles like this Factory Printed Cloth with Computer Images from Côte d’Ivoire, is a way into understanding the values and practices of diverse communities.
Let’s pause and reflect
WAM would like to know what you have learned during your visit to this exhibition.
Share the most amazing, interesting or surprising fact that you learned about textiles from Africa by completing the sentences on the card provided, and then post your cards on the response wall:
You can also share your reflections with us by posting on WAM’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/witsartmuseum. or on Instagram: @witsartmuseum_wam
This education resource was written by Bougaard, Alison Kearney, and Kutlwano Mokgojwa and edited by Julia Charlton. Fiona Rankin-Smith assisted with research and sourcing images for the resource. It was produced by Wits Art Museum in 2024 to accompany the exhibition Threading Through the Collection curated by Kutlwano Mokgojwa. Unless otherwise stated, the photographs were taken by Mark Lewis. Design and layout by NativeJoint.
Artist unrecorded, Tuareg, Sahel, Arkilla Munga (Wedding blanket/ Saddle Cloth). c1950, wool, cotton, 178 x 285 cm. Standard Bank African Art Collection (Wits Art Museum). Acquired 2007. (Back view, detailing how the woven strips are stitched together to form the textile)
