Subject

African artisans

2 records filed under this subject

The Truth About ‘African’ Wax Prints (Hollandais): A Dutch Story, Not Ours

African textiles are like colorful books full of stories, history, and culture. Fabrics like Kente from Ghana or Ukara from Nigeria carry deep meanings, passed down from our ancestors. But in markets across Africa and beyond, another fabric often gets all the attention: the so-called “African wax print,” also called Ankara or Hollandais. Many people…

The Influence of Igbo Art in Late 18th-Century Virginia

Igbo People in Virginia and Their Craftsmanship During the late 18th century, the transatlantic slave trade was at its peak, and many enslaved Africans brought to Virginia came from the Bight of Biafra, a region dominated by the Igbo ethnic group. The Igbo became one of the largest African ethnocultural groups in Virginia at that…