Images of Commemorative Fabrics from Africa
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Commemorative Fabrics from Africa is a collection of machine-made commemorative textiles from various African countries. This collection provides researchers access to digitized fabrics that are printed with images and text documenting events and individuals of historical, political, religious, economic, educational, and sociological significance to African societies. Throughout the continent, fabric serves multiple functions in people's daily lives. It is used for clothing, shelter, storage, and packing material. The type of African fabric found in this collection also serves as a communication device. When used as a textual and visual document, the fabric becomes a vehicle to commemorate an event or to celebrate a person's life or achievement. One does not need to know how to read in order to understand the messages found in these textiles. In societies where a large portion of the population cannot read, the visual elements enable everyone to share in the reception and transmission of the message that is being conveyed. In this way, the fabric also serves to preserve historical narratives that are important to the community. The pieces in this collection were graciously donated by UW faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other individuals outside the UW.
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English
Cloth promoting the Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria. The center of the cloth features a portrait of Mary and baby Jesus, with a banner beneath proclaiming: Through Mary our Mother …
UW: University of Wisconsin–Madison English
This cloth is an Indian produced commemorative fabric celebrating Nigerian independence. It is brown cotton with embroidered blue and red stripes. At the center is an embroidered tiger in yellow …
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Fabric commemorating the centenary of the birth of Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana. Featured in the center is a portrait of Nkrumah. The portrait and the border displays …
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Black kente stole with stripes of white, green, yellow, and maroon. Includes the recipient's date of birth.
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Blue kente stole, with stripes of pink, yellow, and maroon. The message on the stole is done in yellow thread, interwoven with silver. Featured at both ends of the stole …
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This green and white fabric commemorates the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education of Cameroon (MINJEC) and its programs and organizations. The main emblem features a group of diverse …
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This fabric supports 2009 candidate for the Gabonese Democratic Party, Ali Bongo Ondimba. Featured is a portrait of the president, an image used in his campaign, and the emblem for …
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This fabric commemorates the 10 year anniversary of the privatization of Cameroon’s state-owned electricity company. The text features the name and slogan of the privatized company, AES-Sonel, Energizing Cameroon. The …
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This soft, light-weight cloth is a bright blue color with white block letters reading "I Love Somalia" and "Somalia" in a repeating pattern. The design of the fabric mimics the …
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This fabric designed for the 2017 International Women’s Day in Cameroon features a repeating pattern of a central emblem surrounded by various mottos of the event on a pink and …
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This fabric commemorates mothers with a variety of phrases and images of mothers and their children. It is in a yellow, gold, and brown color scheme with flowers and hearts …
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Cloth welcoming visitors to Tanzania. This cloth features the map of Tanzania with all the districts, placed on a background of the green, yellow, blue, and black pattern of the …
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This fabric commemorates Mother's Day, and has a floral background in shades of pastel yellow. The main image is that of a mother and her infant, framed in blue. The …
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This fabric designed for the 2018 International Women’s Day features a vibrant pattern of navy blue, red, yellow, green, and white on a mostly magenta-pink background. The large center emblem …
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On an orange background textured with dark red stripes, this fabric displays rows of red and green button-like icons. Blue and purple links of chain cover the rows and are …
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This fabric promotes the political party known as Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée (UFDG). It shows support for Cellou Dalein Diallo, the UFDG candidate for Guinea’s 2010 presidential election. …
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Fabric made to celebrate the 20th anniversary of CERAC (Cercle des Amis du Cameroun / Friends of Cameroon). Text (French): Chantal Biya, Presidente fondatrice, 20 ans d'action (1995-2015); Assistance aux …
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This fabric was made for the political movement Société de Développement that was led by President Kountché in the late 1970s. The movement’s logo is the central theme. It shows …
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Cloth promoting AIDS awareness in Cameroon. At the center of this pattern is a round emblem featuring a red AIDs ribbon over a map of Africa with Cameroon highlighted in …
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This fabric commemorates the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as president and vice president of the United States in 2020. On a royal blue background, the portraits of …
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Cloth made for the third and final conference held for the U.N. declared Decade of Women (1976-1985) held in Nairobi, Kenya, July 1985. Text: UN Decade for Women Conference; July …
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This high school graduation kente stole is done in green and white, the school colors, and includes the recipient's jersey number and year of graduation. The stole also features the …
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This fabric displays a World Health Organization campaign to eradicate Guinea worm disease. The disease is caused by a parasite and transmitted via contaminated drinking water. One image shows a …
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This fabric was made to commemorate the 2016 SCECSAL Conference (Standing Conference of Eastern, Central and Southern African Library and Information Associations). This fabric features the emblem of the Swaziland …
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This stole features a portrait of Barack Obama, between two sets of Adrinka symbols. To the left are the symbols of gye nyame and nkonsonkonson which represent the supremacy of …
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This bright orange International Women’s Day fabric has a central emblem that features a woman wearing a white mask to protect herself and those around her from COVID-19 and a …
UW: University of Wisconsin–Madison English
This fabric displays a map of Nigeria and an image of a pineapple. The two images are displayed in a checkered pattern. The map is divided into geographical zones with …
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This cloth has a bold red background interspersed with black lines. The main design is made up of hexagrams, with the center featuring one of the following currency symbols in …
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Cloth from the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training in Yaoundé. Features images of the various buildings where the ministry is located. Text: Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training; Ministère …
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A black kente stole with the words, "Aliko Songolo Madison Grand Order of Oluwales Memer." It features the symbol of the Asante seat of leadership, with stripes done in white, …
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The center panel features a graduation ceremony scene of a male and a female university student receiving diplomas. The image has an elaborate border displaying a hand carrying a torch, …
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This is a square yellow bandana printed with orange and green symbols. Some of the symbols represent different musical instruments from Liberia. This bandana was created and printed at the …
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Fabric produce to celebrate the international Women's Day. Images depict the role of women in society. Text (French, English) Journée Internationale Femme 8 Mars International Women's Day 8th March. Produced …
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This burnt orange and tan fabric features images of public works in Cameroon. Among geometric designs and columns of masks, photos of roads, bridges, buildings, trucks, construction equipment, etc. are …
UW: University of Wisconsin–Madison English
Textile produced for the African National Congress (ANC) during the Ramaphosa Presidency. The print features his name beneath his portrait on a green and black background. Text: A better life …
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This fabric features the map of Swaziland (now Eswatini). The central yellow, red, and green map marks out the cities, rivers, and some different regions of the country. Surrounding the …
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This is the fabric calendar manufactured by Vlisco in 1983. On a stormy blue background, the main image is an under-the-ocean scene featuring colorful fish and other underwater plants and …
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Cloth commemorating the 2012 agricultural fair in Ebolowa, Cameroon. The cloth features a central emblem of various agricultural icons, such as a chick, a cow, cocoa, bannanas, and a tractor. …
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This fabric was designed to commemorate World Teacher’s Day. The turquoise and blue colored background is decorated with letters, numbers, symbols, and abstract splatters in black and white. The repeating …
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Fabric produced to celebrate International Women's Day in 2013. Text (French and English) Journée Internationale de la Femme 8 Mars; International Women's Day 8th March. Text: Les changements climatiques sont …
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Cotton shirt commemorating the 2001 Conférence des chef d'Etat de France et d'Afrique in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Text: Vive l'amitié Franco-Africaine; Yaoundé; Janvier 2001; 21ème conférence des chefs d'état de France …
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This fabric displays a green and pink background using the company’s triangular logo as a motif. Text (French/English): Interim/Temporary; Prestation de services/Service delivery. The selvage reads "Emploi Services ST11382"
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This cloth features a diamond pattern, with the center design displaying the letters of the alphabet. The diamonds at the top and bottom count from one to nine. The top …
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Cloth celebrating the contributions of rural women to agriculture in Cameroon. The cloth features the names of the ten Cameroonian provinces, along with important agricultural products such as bananas, plantains, …
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This fabric striped in blue, red, and white features the portraits of Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo and vice president Mahamudu Bawumia. Between the repeating portraits are small black and white …
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This fabric celebrates the 2nd World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, which took place in Lagos, Nigeria in 1977. The central emblem features a mask in red …
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This fabric commemorates the 10th anniversary of the political party Union Démocratique du Peuple Malien (Democratic Union of the Malian People), the sole legal party from its creation in 1979 …
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A blue kente stole with stripes of white, burgundy, yellow, black, and green. In large letters it reads: "Congratulations 2007 Graduate", with the wearer's name and high school name at …
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This International Women’s Day 2020 fabric in light blue and gold features a central emblem in which a woman dressed in the colors of the Cameroonian flag releases a dove …
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The center of the cloth features a logo for the 14th Francophonie Summit held in Kinshasa in 2012. It shows an okapi, an animal native to the DRC, at the …