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History, Origin and Significance of Mud Cloth Bogolanfini (“Bo-ho-lahn-FEE-neeâ€), which translates as “mud cloth†is a long established tradition among the Bamana, a Mande speaking people who inhabit a large area to the east and north of Bamako in Mali. The origin of this cloth is believed to lie in the Beledougou region of central Mali. Hand woven and hand-dyed mud cloth uses a centuries old process using numerous applications of various plant juices/teas and mud to dye hand woven cotton clothTraditionally, Bamana women made the mud cloth. Bogolonfin, for Bamana women, has always been an essential component in the marking of major life transitions, such as birth, marriage, and death. Bogolanfini is a living art form, with techniques and motifs passed down from generations of mothers to daughters. Bamana hunters also wear Bogolanfini in the form of mud cloth laden with leather amulets, forceful visual symbols of the supernatural powers believed necessary for successful hunters to possess. Each piece of mud cloth tells a story. No two pieces are alike and each pattern and color combination has a meaning. The symbols, arrangements, color as well as shape of the mud cloth reveal secrets. The mud cloth is also used to define a person’s social status, character or occupation. Bogolanfini is an expression of Malian national identity and a symbol of belonging to African culture. Cotton is grown locally and harvested, hand spun and then prepared for the looming process. The looming process begins when men, using small hand or double heddle looms, weave the cotton into long strips, called finimugu. These thin strips, typically seven in number (but anywhere from 5 to 9 or more), are then sewn together to create a panel ranging from approximately 32â€x 48†to 45â€x 72â€. From this point on the women usually take over preparation of the mud cloth. Women are the artists creating the designs, and they each have their own techniques and style of preparing the cloth.This is a piece done in the traditional manner with traditional designs. It is not like some of the rather garish “modern†so-called mud cloth. This piece is comprised of 8 strips of hand-woven cotton cloth, each about 5†wide. The entire piece of fabric measures about 60†by 42â€. The textile was acquired from the makers in a lepers' camp in Mali in the early 1970s. Such old-style cloth is not seen much today, as the processes have been modernized and the designs are very different in today’s market. This is a collector’s piece. (Note: The one corner that is shorter than the rest is not a flaw. That strip of weaving is just shorter than the other seven. A close look reveals that the pattern is complete, the strip of cloth is just a little shorter!)Buyer pays for shipping.
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