African Mudcloth Decor: Fascinating Art and Rich History

African cloth has been popular in Western cultures for quite some time. Among the most well-known is the Ankara fabric from Western Africa, Kitenge from Eastern Africa, and African Mudcloth. These fabrics are used to add an extra element of style or design, with each having its own rich history and meaning from their respective cultures. The African Mudcloth Decor: Fascinating Art and Rich History offers you a new perspective on African Culture. You will better understand the process and where this home decor trend originated.

African Mudcloth Rich History

The fabric hails from the Western Sara Region of Northern Africa in the inland country of Mali and the tradition dates back to the 12th century.  The term “Mudcloth” is loosely translated from Bambara, the language spoken in Mali. “Bògòlanfini” as it is called in Bambara, combines three root words: “bogo” meaning earth or mud, “lan” meaning ‘with’, and “fini” meaning cloth. The handmade Malian cloth is dyed using fermented mud, giving it its namesake. 

The African Mudcloth Process: Fascinating Art

Authentic African Mudcloth was traditionally made by men who wove together thin strips of beige, natural-colored fabric. This fabric was then cut into squares and stitched together followed by a dying process. The fabric is dyed in baths of leaves and branches which are used to bind the dye to the fabric.

Beautiful patterns are intricately painted using a special kind of mud. This is followed by laying the fabric out to dry in the sun. to ferment over seasons.

As the mud dries, it changes colors, from dark brown or black to a gray color. The excess mud is washed off the fabric and the process is repeated many times. With each repetition, the affected area becomes darker. The unpainted areas were treated with a bleaching agent, turning the natural yellow color brown. After sun drying for a week, the fabric is washed off. This leaves the characteristic white pattern on a dark background.   

Interpretation: The Meaning of the Symbols

The exceptionally beautiful Mudcloth is open to interpretation. Each piece of Mudcloth has a story to tell. The symbols and the way in which they are arranged reveal a variety of different secrets such as social status, a person’s character or occupation. Some bolts of cloth portray African Proverbs or histories of African communities. Even now, in Africa, many people are careful with what they wear or display in their homes. They believe that each color and symbol has a meaning.

African Mudcloth: Home Decor Made Easy

Mud cloth is usually created in neutral colors, making the trend easy to incorporate into your current home decor theme. Here are some beautiful pieces to introduce this rich trend into your home. Click on each item for more information.

Some African Mudcloth Home Decor Items from our Online Store:

I find the whole process of making African Mudcloth inspiring. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading Authentic African Mudcloth: Fascinating Art and Rich History as much as I’ve enjoyed researching it. We’d love to hear your comments. If you have suggestions, like the post, or just want to say hi, the comment box is on the right-hand side. Also, I’ve placed a few Pinterest Pins below. If you like this post, please share them with your Pinterest Friends.

Until next time … Joy

Resources: Mae Woven / African Imports