Nigeria

Colourful Nigerian “Egugun” and Ghanaian “Kente”Costumes

in Melbourne Show

By John Owoo

_{An exhibition of textiles from diverse Commonwealth countries that recall the astonishing skills of traditional designers is currently underway at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology Gallery in Melbourne, Australia.}

_{Titled “Threading the Commonwealth” and curated by Prof. Jasleen Dhamija, the exhibition simply reveals in a bold manner the implicit immersion in traditional and cultural norms by the creators of these striking, arresting and conspicuous textiles.}

_{In the midst of exhibits from Ghana, Nigeria, New Zealand (Maori), India, Malaysia, Republic of South Africa, Australia, Maldives, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Bangladesh among others, the focus of the show appears to lie on instinctive experience as well as available descriptive opportunities.}

_{Indeed, it examines a range of issues – the product and the act of hand weaving as well as the experiences/material circumstances of the producers while reminding viewers of the fact that textiles have provided a rich field for research in social, cultural, economic and post-colonial analysis.}

_{Directed by Suzanne Davies, the exhibition also turns out to be a kind of analysis through a tight selection of key historical and contemporary works as a reference point that demonstrate how traditional visual languages have transformed over time.}

_{Included in the exhibits are colourful Ghanaian Asante “Kente” cloths and Yoruba “Egungun” costumes from Nigeria that are awe inspiring yet humorous, intricate and elaborate  - indeed, they possess the ability to charm, fascinate and captivate at first glance.}

_{Perhaps, the finest examples of “Kente” cloth were woven in the 19th century for great Asante Kings. Raw materials used at that time came from Europe in the form of silk fabric that was carefully unpicked in order to obtain fine thread.}

_{They are then re-woven into narrow-strip cloths on looms utilising two, or in some cases three sets of heddles to multiply design complexity. The king's weavers were and can still be found in a village called Bonwire, which is located near the Garden city of Kumasi (Southern Ghana).}

_{“Kente” is a cultural code represented through weave-design with the purpose of communicating the wearer’s personal philosophies. Indeed, political, religious and historical views can be communicated through its motifs, patterns, designs and symbols.}

_{An enormous corpus of proverbs used to explain the meanings of most Akan (Southern Ghana) art forms, which also feature prominently in the naming of “Kente” cloths. This verbal-visual nexus is a key to understanding and appreciating both the content and aesthetics of Akan art and material culture.}

_{Nigerian Yoruba “Egugun” costumes and masks have a direct relationship with the dead and ancestors. Undeniably, the Yorubas believe that when a spirit is liberated from its body in death, it lives in a sphere that is closer to the gods. Thus, elderly people are revered since they are close to entering the sacred world.}

_{The society of the living must maintain a harmonious relationship with the powerful world of the dead. It is the task of the “Egungun” society to maintain this relationship. When a man has serious problems in his life, such as illness or death in the family – the oracle priest may declare the source of his problems as a direct consequence of the neglect of his ancestors.}

_{He will have to fashion out an “Egungun” costume, which must cover the entire body of an adult dancer. Strips of brightly coloured textiles will hang on the costume that flares out when the dancer turns. The head of the “Egungun” society has the right to assign a dancer to carry the costume/mask.}

_{“Egungun” costumes and masks may be centuries old. Generations of dancers succeed each other to carry the costume and personify their ancestors – indeed, they constantly work on the costume by adding new and brighter strips of cloth or leather.}

_{“Threading the Commonwealth” forms part of activities marking the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival, which includes several other art exhibitions, music/dance performances and film shows.}