Minneapolis Institute of Art

Royal cloth

Bamileke artist

Date

20th century

Medium

Cotton, raffia resist indigo dyed

Culture

Bamileke

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

In Cameroon, a Baileke king surrounds himself with elaborate visual displays that declare his economic, political, and religious power. Large ndop cloths (this one is 25 feet long) are used to distinguish royal ritual spaces and often provide a backdrop for an appearance by the king. Ndop is made from strip-woven cotton assembled into a larger textile. The designs are stitched using raffia thread and the fabric is dyed in indigo. The stitching is then carefully removed to reveal the white geometric pattern. Bamileke designs combine cultural and animal motifs; the images depicted on this particular cloth include kola nuts, crocodile scales, and hunting nets. Africa

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