Okene cloth -- Igbirra (Murnane, 1978)
Scope and Contents
Slides of Africa from various sources; these slides document a variety of topics such as agriculture, landscapes, city scenes, villages, architecture, industry, transportation, commerce, and people, from throughout Africa during the 20th century.
Dates
- Majority of material found within 1960 - 2000
Conditions Governing Access
There are no restrictions on use of the materials in the department for research; all patrons must comply with federal copyright regulations. To inquire about access to this collection, please contact the Herskovits Library at africana@northwestern.edu.
Extent
From the Collection: 99 Boxes (99 slide boxes.)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
General
Okene cloth, a prestigious fabric woven by the Igbirra women of Southern Nigeria, is most often identified as a "silk" (actually rayon) cloth, with elaborate overall inlaid patterning on a smaller scale than in Akwete cloth. Renowned for fine quality, the Okene women are experimental weavers, incorporating popular techniques and patterns from Yoruba men weavers and Akwete women weavers. Made on the typical West African vertical loom, it is woven and sold in the traditional fashion of three matching panels, each approximately 24 inches wide by 84 inches long.
Library Details
Part of the Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies Repository
Main Library, 5th Floor, East Tower
1970 Campus Drive
Evanston IL 60208-2300 US
847-467-3084
africana@northwestern.edu