Mud cloth

The traditional mud cloth, called Bogolanfini from now on, never has a figurative image, but consists only of motifs. The use of mud as a painting pattern on cotton is typical for the Bamana (Bamara) of Mali. The centre for the production of these ``Bogolanfini`` is the Beledougou area north and north-east of the capital Bamako. Here lies also the origin of this technique. Bogolanfini are made in families. Women spin the cotton, which is grown in this area. Then the men weave long bands of white cotton of about 12 cm in width and about 10 to 60 metres in length (narrow-band weave - this type of fabric is unique to West Africa). These bands are cut and the pieces are sewn together by women with the sides to create cloth in different lengths and widths. From the cotton hand-woven bands in plain weave, a cloth is made by joining equal pieces together lengthwise by hand. \Before the mud is applied to the cloth, the cotton must be treated with a leaf extract. This treatment reacts at a subsequent stage with the ferrous substances in the mud. In this way the dark brown colour of the Bogolanfini is created. Meanwhile, a (different) person searches for the mud. The mud is found in low lying areas with stagnant water. Especially dry riverbeds are suitable. The mud has to be under water. With thin wooden sticks or with a toothbrush the woman divides the cloth in planes. Sometimes bamboo sticks are used or an iron spatula. These are then worked on each surface. The design of a Bogolanfini may only be made by a woman. But this is a tourist cloth, those are made by a boy and has a figurative image. The woman who makes the design for the cloth is also responsible for the material purchase, cutting and sewing of the cloth. This is not to say that this person carries out the entire process herself, on the contrary; several people help in the creation of the canvases. \See M6-52.