Bark Cloth
Item number Ac209 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.
Item number Ac209 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.
This page shows all the information we have about this item. Both the institution that physically holds this item, and RRN members have contributed the knowledge on this page. You’re looking at the item record provided by the holding institution. If you scroll further down the page, you’ll see the information from RRN members, and can share your own knowledge too.
The RRN processes the information it receives from each institution to make it more readable and easier to search. If you’re doing in-depth research on this item, be sure to take a look at the Data Source tab to see the information exactly as it was provided by the institution.
These records are easy to share because each has a unique web address. You can copy and paste the location from your browser’s address bar into an email, word document, or chat message to share this item with others.
This information was automatically generated from data provided by MOA: University of British Columbia. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.
Bark cloth cover decorated with twelve repeat rectangular designs in groups of three. Each rectangle contains nine triangular shapes divided into three rows. The edge is folded over towards the front and sewn in place to form a border.
Bark cloth is used for clothing and household furnishings across central, eastern and southern Africa. The Ganda (or Baganda) of Uganda wear bark cloths during ceremonies, such as coronations and healing, and rites of passages, such as marriages and funerals. Some people associate bark cloths with death and the afterlife, so bark cloths tend to be found amongst traditional healers, mediums, and witches. Historically, craftspeople of the Ngonge clan made bark cloths for both the royal family and their community members. Cloths belonging to kings and chiefs are dyed black and white to differentiate them from their subjects. Use of bark cloth decreased significantly in Africa due to the introduction of cotton and imported fabric from Arab traders during the early-modern period, and due to European colonialism between the late 19th and mid-20th century. In 2005 UNESCO proclaimed the bark cloth as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and it continues to be one of the prevalent symbols of the Ganda people today.
Bark cloth felting is an old technique, used mainly in central Africa, the Congo Basin, Uganda, Malawi, and Zambia. Historically the material was produced from pounding the inner bark of natal figs (known as Mutuba in Uganda).
This data has been provided to the RRN by the MOA: University of British Columbia. We've used it to provide the information on the Data tab.
Bark cloth cover decorated with twelve repeat rectangular designs in groups of three. Each rectangle contains nine triangular shapes divided into three rows. The edge is folded over towards the front and sewn in place to form a border.
Bark cloth felting is an old technique, used mainly in central Africa, the Congo Basin, Uganda, Malawi, and Zambia. Historically the material was produced from pounding the inner bark of natal figs (known as Mutuba in Uganda).
Bark cloth is used for clothing and household furnishings across central, eastern and southern Africa. The Ganda (or Baganda) of Uganda wear bark cloths during ceremonies, such as coronations and healing, and rites of passages, such as marriages and funerals. Some people associate bark cloths with death and the afterlife, so bark cloths tend to be found amongst traditional healers, mediums, and witches. Historically, craftspeople of the Ngonge clan made bark cloths for both the royal family and their community members. Cloths belonging to kings and chiefs are dyed black and white to differentiate them from their subjects. Use of bark cloth decreased significantly in Africa due to the introduction of cotton and imported fabric from Arab traders during the early-modern period, and due to European colonialism between the late 19th and mid-20th century. In 2005 UNESCO proclaimed the bark cloth as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and it continues to be one of the prevalent symbols of the Ganda people today.
Let the RRN community answer your questions
With an account, you can ask other users a question about this item. Request an Account
Share your knowlege of this item with the RRN community
With an account, you can submit information about this item and have it visible to all users and institutions on the RRN. Request an Account