Category: Arts & Culture

The International Alert on October 9, launched ‘Fractured Lives’, a photographic essay and film highlighting stories of Rwandans who are still working to rebuild their lives and society, 18 years after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

At the same event held in Kigali, Alert also launched the policy report, ‘Healing fractured lives: reconciliation and
reintegration in Rwanda’.

The new releases are part of Alert’s project that is supported by USAID and Misereor. The project is implemented by Alert in partnership with Pro-Femmes/Twese Hamwe Umuseke, the Rwandan Association of Trauma Counsellors (ARCT Ruhuka), Duterimbere Asbl, and Duterimbere IMF.

Among others, the photos by award-winning photojournalist Carol Allen Storey put the spotlight on the long-term effects of war and the complexity of reconciling a nation.

Commenting on the launch, International Alert’s Country Manager in Rwanda, Gloriose Bazigaga, said, “These photos are very striking, as are the stories behind them.”

However, they are not one-day success stories; they are stories of a lifetime. They demonstrate the commitment of Rwandan individuals, communities and organisations that goes on year after year, sometimes for generations, to rebuild lives fractured by
conflict.”

The project has brought all sides affected by the genocide and supporting them to establish common ground. In this visual account, survivors, ex-combatants,ex-prisoners and youth share their powerful stories of trauma, forgiveness and hope.

Also commenting on the project, Dan Smith, Alert’s Secretary General, said: ‘Alert and its partners also work to support people facing tough economic conditions especially survivors.

The project addresses both the psychological and economic voids that are always present after conflicts in a long-term process of counselling, dialogue, and training and support for livelihoods initiatives.’

The report analyses reintegration and reconciliation programmes in the country. This study recommends that an inclusive approach to reintegration, bringing together all groups affected by the genocide and its consequences, be used more widely in Rwanda as it has powerful benefits for social cohesion.

It further argues that the reintegration programmes should target the youth as opportunity they have opportunity to positively transform community dynamics. It calls for a multidisciplinary way, targeting psychological, economic and dialogue needs in communities.

Jean de Dieu Nsanzabera 34, Born and raised in Rwanda, is an orator, writer and artist. He has published nine books most of them based on research to improve the reading culture.

Nsanzabera is also piecing together 16 other books to put his works at a total of 25 books of his own.

“My first book was Subira ku isoko which is translated as, ‘go back to the source,’ it was published in 2000. It is composed of poems, the poem Subira ku isoko also the name of the book talks about liberation of Rwanda after a long time with a sorrowful life of a Rwandan abroad,” says Nsanzabera.

The poem was officially recited in July 2001 during the liberation day according to Nsaanzabera..

Among his other books are Imizi y’Urwanda (Rwandan roots) a 300 page book which talks about the history of the country. Others are Ikinamico about forgiveness, unity and reconciliation and the fight against genocide ideology.

Another interesting book is Umuco about the literature and the culture of Rwanda among others

“Being an artist is a gift that shapes your life. I started as a poet and other things came after,” he narrates

He says that the art he has is a tradition he inherited from his ancestors.

“Like father like son, my grandfather used to be a story teller and a poet during his period, I followed his way and discovered that it was a gift, now I live on with it,” he says

Having written various books, Nzanzabera says it requires commitment and reading other than having spent many years in classes without reading or writing.

“I have written research based books. I read various books and came up with a big document in Kinyarwanda teaching Rwandans to take care of their small land,” he explains

He says that it took him much time to write a book and confirmed that Rwandans still lack the culture of reading.

“Time is no longer a problem. Rwandans have inherited oral communication and it has been taken as normal. But what I know is that reading and writing is wealth and the whites say that when you want to hide something from a black you write it in a book,” he says

Nzanzabera is a secondary school graduate who also doubles as a professional master of ceremonies at functions like weddings.

He says his writings aim at improving Rwandans knowledge while promoting the culture of reading.

However, he requests that the government and well wishers to provide support so that he can keep writing and publish many more books. “Rwandans should cultivate the culture of reading and kick out laziness,” he adds

Nsanzabera has been inspired by Rwandan artists such as Alex Kagame and Aloys Bigirumwami who have been role models in promoting Rwandan culture.

The permanent secretary in the ministry of sport and culture Eduard Kalisa decried the lack of reading culture in Rwanda and stated that it can have a negative impact.

“In order for our country to develop, Rwandans should wake up and those able to write can do. Parents should also cultivate the culture of reading” he said

He added that in Rwanda there is a National Academy of language and culture to gather with other institutions to approve and value books written in Rwanda.

The NewTimes

Six years ago Dr. Dre was walking along the beach with Interscope Records chief Jimmy Iovine, pondering whether or not he should launch his own shoe line. “[Forget] sneakers,” said Iovine. “Let’s sell speakers!”

It might have been the best piece of advice the rapper-producer ever received. In 2008 he teamed with Iovine and a handful of other partners to launch Beats By Dr. Dre, which now sells more than half of the country’s premium headphones ($100 and up). That’s music to the ears of Dr. Dre, who collected $100 million pretax when handset maker HTC paid $300 million for a 51% stake in the company last year.

With $110 million in pretax earnings, Dr. Dre is this year’s Hip-Hop Cash King—despite the fact that his long-awaited album, Detox, remains on the shelf. He’s not the only one on the list who banks the bulk of his bucks outside the recording studio. Diddy ranks No. 2 with $45 million, thanks mostly to a share of profits from Diageo’s Ciroc vodka; Jay-Z ranks third with $38 million, pulling in more than half his annual earnings from ventures including ownership stakes in cosmetics company Carol’s Daughter, the Brookyln Nets and a joint venture with battery maker Duracell (for more, check out my Jay-Z biography, Empire State of Mind).

“The reality of it is, you want to do something that you own,” says frequent Jay-Z collaborator Timbaland, who ranks No. 20 on the list with $6 million. “You want to own what you put your heart into. That’s how you make money.”

Kanye West ranks fourth on the list with $35 million, fueled by his Watch the Throne album with Jay-Z and the ensuing tour, followed by Lil Wayne at $27 million. The diminutive rhymester’s latest album, Tha Carter IV, sold a million copies in its first week; he also launched clothing line Trukfit and a partnership with Pepsi’s Mountain Dew, the first major product endorsement in the veteran rapper’s career.

Lil Wayne is joined on the Cash Kings list by labelmates Drake (No. 6) and Nicki Minaj (No. 8), who banked $20.5 million and $15.5 million, respectively, thanks to new albums, tours and product endorsements with companies like Kodak and Pepsi. Their boss, Cash Money co-founder Bryan “Birdman” Williams, ranks seventh with $20 million. Even lower down on the list, artists are getting paid considerable sums to shill products.

“We’ve received a lot of income based around endorsements,” says former Def Jam President Kevin Liles, who now manages a host of artists including No. 18 Young Jeezy. “A lot of brands are saying, ‘Hey, there’s a value proposition, instead of this freewheeling spending … I have some guaranteed curators and travel agents that can help me reach the consumer in a better way.’”

Yet for a few artists, music alone is a viable path to earning millions. No. 9 Eminem sold more albums last decade than any artist, and continues to cash in from his extensive back catalog and occasional tour dates, pulling in $15 million.

Ludacris rounds out the top ten with earnings of $12 million (for more, see “Ludacris Dreams: A Rap Mogul Diversifies”). The multihyphenate mogul’s non-musical ventures include Conjure cognac, headphone line Soul, voiceovers for RadioShack and roles in movies such as Fast Five and New Year’s Eve.

“We work so hard that we never get a real chance to stop and reflect on what we’ve done sometimes,” says Ludacris. “So the FORBES list is a great representation of, ‘You know what, wow, we are out here working as hard as hell!’”

To compile the Cash Kings list, which charts pretax earnings for all living artists whose work is primarily classified as hip-hop or rap, we looked at income from touring, record sales, publishing, films, merchandise sales, endorsements and other ventures. Management, agent and attorney fees are not deducted; earnings are tabulated from May 2011 to May 2012 and based on data from Pollstar, the Recording Industry Association of America and Nielsen SoundScan, and from interviews with numerous managers, lawyers, record executives and some of the artists themselves.

All in all, hip-hop’s top 20 earners pulled in $415 million last year, the most since 2008’s $515 million. The more recent total got a heavy boost from Dr. Dre’s impressive haul, but it doesn’t mean he’s resting on his financial laurels. Earlier this summer, he and his partners bought back half of the 51% stake in Beats that they sold to HTC nearly a year ago—meaning that fans waiting for his new album might have to hold out a little longer.

“I understand why Dre didn’t finish Detox,” says Liles, with a laugh. “It’s called Beats.”

Forbes

One Direction had the girls screaming, Frank Ocean gave a soft, poignant performance and Chris Brown and Drake were in the same venue with not a bottle thrown. Save for a saucy Rihanna number and a few off-color jokes, the MTV Video Music Awards were a rather tame affair this year.

Perhaps that’s to be expected with a group of teenagers at the center of things.

Rihanna started the show with a sexy medley performance before capping it with a win for the night’s top honor, video of the year.
One Direction owned the rest of the show. The heartthrob British boy band quickly changed the focus Thursday night, winning three awards and stealing the attention from Rihanna.

“We’ve grown up watching this show and to even be here is an honor,” Niall Horan said from the stage.

Rihanna kicked off the party sitting regally upon a throne as she performed her new song “Cockiness (I Love It)” with A$AP Rocky and two groups of dancers. She then made her way into the pit at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and launched into her hit “We Found Love” as she weaved through the crowd, touching hands with dozens of fans.

“Doesn’t my girl Rihanna look sexy tonight?” Katy Perry asked the crowd after the performance.

The camera was on her all night — when it wasn’t highlighting One Direction. The group quickly took the overall spotlight, bringing high-pitched screams from the crowd upon winning best pop video. It was the night’s first televised award and one of five top-nominee Rihanna was up for. They also won best new artist and the most share-worthy moonman.

The quintet, put together by Simon Cowell after “The X Factor” auditions and the first British act to debut atop the Billboard 200 album chart, seemed stunned as fans screamed upon announcement of their win.

The group performed later, rising to a stairwell surrounded by screaming, reaching female fans on an elevated platform and bringing most attendees to their feet. Members of the U.S. gymnastics team sang along to their song “One Thing” and cameras caught Perry and Rihanna whispering to each other.

“This has been unbelievable,” Harry Styles said backstage. “This was our favorite performance we’ve ever done. For us to be here in the first place is amazing, and to perform and win a moonman is amazing.”

While there was no easily identifiable signature moment early on, there were a few interesting sights. Pink floated above the crowd on a pair of oversized lips as she performed her new song “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” before Ocean wowed with a somber, moonlit version of his song “Thinking About You.” Then there was Olympic champion Gabby Douglas flipping on stage to a new Alicia Keys song.

Brown pulled off something of an upset in the best male video category. Rihanna’s former boyfriend won for his self-directed video “Turn Up The Music,” beating out several top stars, including Drake, who tied Rihanna for most nominations. Brown also won for best cinematography. M.I.A. was the night’s only other multiple winner, taking two off-camera awards for direction and cinematography.
Drake, though, won best hip-hop video for “HYFR,” which featured Lil Wayne. He talked about his black and Jewish roots growing up in Toronto and his sometimes outsider status.

“I want to dedicate this award to any kid that’s ever had a long walk home by yourself,” Drake said. “This is for you, man, for real. We made it.”

Host Kevin Hart, who promised no one would be spared his comedic barbs, opened up old wounds between Brown and Drake in his opening monologue, spoofing the two for the bar brawl that took place between their entourages in June.

Drake and friends Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne sat stone-faced as Hart joked: “Nip it in the bud, guys. I’m tired of it. Fix it tonight.”
Minaj, dressed in a skintight full-body outfit, won best female video for “Starships.” And Coldplay won best rock video for “Paradise.”

MTV tried something new this year, unveiling a double-decker red carpet that featured two stories of stars and celebrities. Thousands of fans lined up outside the show’s new home, the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

In a bit of foreshadowing, One Direction drew the loudest cheers of the day — something even rivals The Wanted acknowledged — even though fans had to labor under a scorching sun with the temperature at 90 degrees.

The sun was especially hot for Amber Rose, who accentuated her pregnant belly with a black lace gown as she and fiance Wiz Khalifa showed off a baby bump.

“I’m hot, and my feet hurt, but I look gorgeous,” Rose said.
While touching, the moment didn’t rise to the level of The Baby Bump, when Beyonce showed her unannounced pregnancy on the red carpet last year, Taylor vs. Kanye or The Kiss.

Lil Wayne had one of the night’s most tweeted performances when he debuted his heavily bleeped new song “No Worries.” Taylor Swift crowd-surfed after closing the show with a spunky version of “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together Again.” And Keys, who debuted “Girl on Fire,” drew attention well before she took the stage. The singer and her producer husband Swizz Beatz were spotted with their almost 2-year-old son, Egypt, bobbing up and down on Beatz’ lap during Pink’s expletive-laden performance of “Blow Me (One Last Kiss).”

There was hubbub on Twitter where several of Keys’ fans noted the bawdy nature of the VMAs. Others just thought Egypt was cute.

New Jersey

Since opening its doors in March, 2010, Uburanga Art Studio has swiftly emerged as one of Rwanda’s leading art organizations. But it is more than that. Behind it’s abstract forms and vibrant paint strokes lies a powerful story of the potential for business when people and planet come before profit.

Jean Bosco Bakunzi, a 26 year old survivor and orphan of the genocide, founded Uburanga Art Studio, named after the Kinyarwanda word for “beauty” with the mission “to heal people mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.” Already representing eleven other young visual artists, Uburanga is evolving into Rwanda’s leading incubator of artistic talent. In addition to training and connecting its artists to commercial markets, Bakunzi leads a number of projects in the community. One such project involves weekly arts and crafts classes held for children living at the Gisimba Orphanage and throughout the studio’s hillside neighborhood. The artists of Uburanga teach the children to make postcards and jewelry which are sold to tourists and admirers. All of the proceeds are then reinvested into the program to purchase art supplies for the classes and to help the children pay for school fees, health care, and other living expenses. Bakunzi’s eyes light up when he talks about his students: “With this project, we are able to help children deal with the traumas and challenges they have faced in their lives by inspiring them and helping develop their skills and creativity so that they can look to a brighter future.”

Bakunzi also encourages his young artists to seek inspiration through nature and Uburanga prides itself on environmentally sustainable artwork. Across half of the property slopes a grassy hill brought to life by vibrant forms made of materials from the local landfill – a theme park of animated scrap metal and old auto parts. A crane made of bottle caps spreads its wings to fly. Car tires labeled peace, love, dream, and life appear to bounce freely around the yard. Enclosing the property is a brick wall splashed with a sequence of colorful murals envisioning Rwanda’s bright future.

Narrowly escaping death in 1994, eight-year-old Bakunzi led his four younger siblings to a local orphanage where they were hidden and protected for over three months until the end of the genocide. For the next several years, Bakunzi lived at Gisimba Orphanage. Seeking to overcome the agony and confusion of losing his family and the hatred for the people who took their lives, he sought healing by experimenting with crayons, pastels and whatever else he could find. After school, he would lose himself for hours, painting out his emotions onto canvases of all forms without any guidance other than classic images of artists like Picasso and Marc Chagall.

As Bakunzi continued to paint, his reputation grew. He quickly became a sought after resource for NGO’s and small businesses seeking graphic design work on signposts throughout the country. He was not compensated for his work, however his new network provided a market for his colorful paintings and a means to further cultivate his skills and provide for his younger brothers and sisters. Bakunzi’s paintings became known for their fluidity, semi-abstract forms, unique textures, and diverse explosions of color, often espousing themes of traditional Rwandan culture.

Last week, one of Bakunzi’s dreams became a reality when he arrived in the US for the first time. He traveled up and down California’s coastline to showcase his paintings and tell the Uburanga story at pop-up art shows from San Francisco to Los Angeles and Orange County. Every day, Ubranga Art Studio lives out its mission to heal people through beauty. In Rwanda, Uburanga inspires hope in the youth of Rwanda. Now, the studio is reaching across continents and cultures to touch the hearts of people in America, Germany and Luxumbourg.

Ask Bakunzi about his vision for the future of the studio and you will hear even greater ambitions. He hopes to someday pursue a college degree in graphic design, but wants to wait until he has paid off tuition for his youngest brother who himself is studying graphic design at a college in Nairobi, Kenya. Eventually, Bakunzi hopes to grow Uburanga into a multimedia art studio spanning multiple continents that seeks to inspire people toward reconciliation of past conflict and catalyze human connection across cultural and regional boundaries – all the while generating profit and embracing environmentally sustainability.

Let us celebrate Uburanga Art Studio as reminder that the principles of people, planet and profit can extend across oceans, cultures and social disciplines to an art studio striving to heal a battle-scared nation in the middle of Africa.

Triple Pundit

Rwandans have reason to smile once again.

Impala musical group has resurrected after several years of absence which to many Rwandans had become history and a story of the past.

Orchestre Impala has been reborn, this time with only two of its eight original members as seen on one of their old pin-up posters.

The Ministry of culture hailed the rebirth of the musical group which it pledged to be supportive of.

In the hey days, the Orchestre Impala Band was popular for its Live stage performances and using nearly all available musical instruments.

In todays Rwanda musical industry, live performances have been characterised by playbacks and miming.
Below is a photo of the pin-up poster on the first album released by the Impala band.

Ludacris is a polite kind of fellow. Yes, he’s a rapper who’s aggressive vocal delivery dominates a good party track, but he’s got incredible home training.

The rapper and actor—he’s currently in London filming Fast 6—took a quick break from shooting to talk about his latest production: he teamed up with his 10 year-old daughter, Karma to create www.karmasworld.com, an interactive, educational site filled with games, lesson plans and music.

The site was originally launched in December, but the two are re-launching it this month and putting 11 new songs and artwork on it just in time for the new school year.

The Atlanta-based rapper also is preparing to release a new studio album—likely on his 35th birthday next month—but this day, he asked if the focus of the EBONY.com interview could be on his daughter’s project. (But he promised he’d talk new Luda music with us soon.)

Since he was so polite—and used please and thank-you—we obliged.

EBONY: What was the genesis for the website?

Ludacris: The whole thing came about because my daughter followed me into the studio, like even when she was way younger, and as time progressed she continued wanting to seem to pursue something in music.

Basically what happened was she kept saying she wanted to do it and I said, ‘Well, if you want to record music you have to talk about what’s going on in your life and that was basically education and school, where it came from.’

And she actually did all 20 songs that are on the website right now. I’m an extremely proud father, especially that she’s an entrepreneur at the age of 10 right now.

EBONY: Guessing it’s in her DNA, this whole music business?

Ludacris: You know, you can’t deny the DNA. I guess that’s what it is, because I definitely didn’t force her into doing this!

EBONY: It’s educational based, but does that mean that she kind of has this hunger to follow dad in his footsteps? And does she have your blessing to do that if so?

Ludacris: We’re just experimenting and making sure that she gets an early start on certain things that she loves and what she’s passionate about. So that’s my goal.

But I think we’re helping out kids worldwide and everybody that clicks on the site, because it’s just a new way of learning and I feel… like it’s always revolutionizing education.

Honestly, it’s really just about giving back and this is just something that we started on my own and I’m just, again, trying to give kids a new way to learn.

EBONY: Did you have consultants that helped you guys put it together?

Ludacris: I had a creative team, and we just came up with all the subject matter, especially since the anti-bully campaign going on and we just … we wanted to make sure that we were being a voice for kids worldwide and address a lot of issues, and at the same time we have songs on there about hygiene and eating healthy, about the importance of working hard and the importance of telling the truth and not lies.

So I think it’ll surprise people, the subject matters that are on here. And that’s basically what we were going for.

EBONY: Does that mean your daughter’s a really sharp student?

Ludacris: Man, she’s a good student, but her listening to her own songs is helping her to improve and I think that’s the greatest example of how this can help every kid in the world.

EBONY: Kind of a different project for a rapper to get into, yes?

Ludacris: Yeah, but there aren’t but so many options of what kids and parents can listen to these days, and I think I have created something that is educational and fun at the same time.

I think it’s about really riding to school, driving your kids home from school, whether they have their own iPad, iPhone, you know, iPod, they have an album to listen to and I think parents will feel great about it because they’re listening to catchy songs, but they’re getting educated at the same time.

So that’s why I always say it’s revolutionizing education.

EBONY: How does this inspire you as a musician?

Ludacris: My daughter inspires me, first and foremost. So I think that just goes into the fact of her being a young entrepreneur at the age of 10, me seeing her on her game and promote her own site.

EBONY Magazine

For the first time, a theatre play on homosexuality is being staged in Uganda, a country which has proposed an Anti-Homosexuality Bill. With The River & the Mountain, the actors hope to make their audience reflect.

“In Ugandan society, we hide so many things. Why not talk about it?”, says one of the actors.

28-year-old award-winning actor Okuyo Joel Atiku Prynce is the first-ever actor to play a homosexual on stage in Uganda. He has already received numerous criticisms about his latest move in his career, among others being accused of “being funded by gay lobby groups.”

But that does not deter him. “I am not into gay advocacy. Although with this play, we do want to make people understand that we are all human,” he says. “We should not judge, segregate, harm or kill others.”

Condemnation

Uganda is a country where gays and same-sex relationships are far from being accepted and are regularly condemned by conservative pastors and politicians.

The River & the Mountain premiered on 18 August in a little-known cultural centre in Kampala called Tilapia and runs until Sunday 26. It is a collaboration between a group of local actors, Oxford-educated poet, Beau Hopkins, who wrote the script, and Tilapia manager, David Cecil.

The play will “hopefully get people to talk about homosexuality, which already helps to reduce the stigma,” says Phiona Katushabe (24), one of the originators.

Avoiding ideology

However, it has not created the sort of public stir that may have been expected given its controversial subject. Those involved in the play believe it is partially because it has deliberately been kept low-key.

Not out of fear for repercussions but “to avoid being dragged into the ideological debate with, on one side, Uganda’s vocal pastors and, on the other, the international liberal human rights organizations,” says Katushabe.

“All we want is our audience to make up its own mind.”
But, apparently, it did cause a sense of uneasiness at the National Theatre, Kampala’s main venue. At the last minute, the Theatre backed away from hosting the play, after having agreed earlier to do so. The actors were told a “clearance” from Uganda’s Media Council was not issued.

“The refusal of National Theatre only motivated me further,”says Rehema Nanfuka (26), a well-known actress and radio-presenter who is in the cast.

Challenging beliefs

The River & the Mountain revolves around Samson (played by Prynce), a young man who is focused on his career in a cooking oil factory, much to the despair of his mother. All she wants for him is a suitable wife.

Samson is forced to ‘cure’ himself of his homosexuality by undergoing treatment with a pastor, a witch-doctor and a Ssenga – a ‘sex-aunt’ who, in traditional Buganda-culture, initiates young girls. All attempts fail because Samson says that being homosexual is “how I was born.”

In the end, after having had his coming-out, Samson is killed by his own factory workers with machetes. But it is his girlfriend Aidah (played by Aidah Nalubowa) who brings hope to the story because she accepts Samson’s the way he is.

Aidah represents the ‘river’ which stands for openness, for being connected to the open seas that historically brought new influences. The ‘mountain’ symbolizes secluded, withdrawn people, scared of the unknown.

Understanding

Katushabe: “Some of my anti-gay friends who have seen the play now show more understanding.” Nanfuka says the same goes for her. “I never had any problem with gay people but I used to ask myself why they should feel the need to come out. Now, I feel they should. In Ugandan society, we hide so many things. Why not talk about it?”

The River & the Mountain is attracting several dozens of spectators every evening, including many Western expatriates. The good thing is that so far, only two members of the public have walked out of the performance.

The first one, an anti-gay and the second a pro-gay. The latter was apparently too affected by Samson’s fate.

The last two performances, this weekend, will be at MishMash, an uptown cultural venue mainly visited by expatriates. Are the organizers not afraid they will give conservative Ugandans one more reason to believe that gay people are ‘stooges’ of ultra-liberal Westerners with a secret ‘gay-agenda’?” Prynce’s response: “That argument is being used against us anyway. I am not afraid. This play will help change Ugandan society.”

Picture: RNW
RNW Africa

Batik is a word used in West Africa consisting on the process of hand decorating and printing a fabric in which parts not to be dyed are covered by wax.

African fashion really spread worldwide with the batik fabrics tailored in the western fashion way. The patterns on the fabrics reflect the beauty, texture and simplicity of the African tradition.

These fabrics are originally from West Africa; Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana and the Gambia.

History and manufacture

There are examples of batik textiles in many parts of Africa but the most developed skills are to be found in Nigeria when the Yoruba people make Adire clothes.

Two methods are used in the dying and printing of the fabric: Adire Eleso which involves tied and stitched designs and Adire Eleko where the starch paste is used.

The paste is most often made from cassava (a root plant) flour, rice, alum or copper sulfate boiled together to produce a smooth thick paste.

The paste produced from that mixture is used in two different ways.

The first; using the freehand drawing of traditional designs using a feather, thin stick piece of fine bone, a metal or a wooden comb-like tool. This one is done by women.

Men on the other hand force the pasting through a thin metal stencil with a flexible metal or wooden tool; this enables accurate repeat patterns to be achieved.

The patterning of cloth is usually a family tradition handed down from mother to daughter as a cottage industry.

The cloth is usually divided into squares or rectangles and designs represent everyday tools, carvings, bead work, activities or traditional image of the artists own culture or tribal history.

An Eleko cloth (paste used) is usually made up of 2.2 meters pieces sewn together.

The traditional dye is indigo from a plant that grows throughout Africa. They produce a dark blue color which varies with the varieties of indigo. Once the paste resist is dry, the fabric is dyed in large clay pots or pits dug in the earth.

After dying, the paste is scraped off to reveal a white or pale blue design. The usual cloth is cotton but highly prized clothing using wild silk is sometimes produced.

But in recent years, other clothes using the African designs have been produced in Britain ( Manchester clothes) and Holland, these ones are made by the machine.