textile (function unknown); textile

Sierra Leonean country cloth, of the composite kpokpo style. This cloth is made of twelve strips, woven individually on a tripod loom. When sewn together they produce a larger overall pattern.

The pattern is of a checkerboard style, known in Mende as ki gbembele. It includes interesting tweed-like sections with blue thread woven into an un-dyed natural cotton background. these are interspersed with cream sections decorated with different geometric motifs in black, blue, and yellow. The ends of the warp at the shorter sides creates an integral fringe.

An impressive example of Sierra Leonean country cloth, of the kpokpo type and probably made by a Vai weaver. These thick heavy textiles were traditionally made from locally grown cotton, collected by women and spun into thread and dyed by men. Men were also the main weavers, and would have used a tripod loom to create a series of strips which were then sewn together edge to edge to create a larger cloth with a more complex pattern. County cloths have been recorded as being used as trade items, worn as part of elite ceremonial dress, as well as burial shrouds (plain white).

Collection Information

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