Bogolan AKA Mudcloth

Many people may know of mudcloth but have no idea of how it is made or even what its traditional use is. I have always had an attraction to mud cloth as a textile. Its visual qualities have such a rich organic beauty to it. Mudcloth is traditionally given to people as a gift whenever a person reaches a major point of transition in life, such as birth, marriage, or death. Mudcloth is traditionally made by women, and the techniques and motifs are passed down through generations. It is a symbol of spiritual power and belonging to African culture. Mudcloth always tells a story and no one design is the same each piece of fabric has its biological print just like fingerprints. The design of the print, the color, the motifs, and the shape of the fabric all are important factors in creating the story and revealing wondrous secrets. Mudcloth is also used to define a person’s social status, character, or occupation.

Its origins are believed to reside in the Beledougou region of central Mali but is known to be a practice tradition by the Bamana people, who are members of the Mande Culture that inhabits the east and north of Bamako in Mali which is located in West Africa.

An example of the cloth being used as social status is when a couple gets married and moves into their new home, family and friends come to the couple’s house to visit and give them praise and blessings while being there they also admire the couple’s new home. Mud cloth is hung up on the walls, draped over couches and beds to present their new status as a family. In my household, we use mud cloth for many things from decor to clothing.

The Process

First natural fibers are weaved together into narrow strips of cloth. The strips are then sewed together to achieve the desired width of the fabric awaiting the design process.

The first step in the design process is dyeing the fabric. Plant fibers are crushed and boiled in a pot to dye the fabric. Then the dyed pieces are placed out into the sun to dry. The dyeing process is repeated once more to ensure color.

Once the cloth is dry the artist uses mud that has been fermenting for a year as the median to apply the design on the fabric (HIT: the reason why it is nicknamed Mud Cloth). The artist uses stencils, brushes, sticks and many other tools to create the print. Sometimes instead of applying mud to achieve the design a solution is used to bleach out design patterns on the fabric.

Once the designing process is done the excess mud is wiped away, the fabric is then dyed one more time and placed out into the sun to dry.Then it is ready to be sold.