Man’s Tunic (Gbariye)

NameTunic; man's shirt

Artist Artist Not Recorded

CultureYoruba

Dateca. 1960s

Place madeNigeria, Africa

MediumCotton, indigo, alari (casava root)

Dimensions46 1/16 × 70 1/16 × 3/8 in. (117 × 178 × 1 cm)

Credit LineMuseum of International Folk Art, gift of Barbarine Rich, A.2018.4.13

Object numberA.2018.4.13

ProvenanceThese textiles were sourced by Dr. Duncan Clarke, who earned his PhD from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, specializing in aso oke (Nigerian strip weaving). He published a number of books on West African textiles and works as a high-end dealer in London. The donor purchased the textiles from Dr. Clarke. She began selectively collecting textiles many years ago and intended to launch her own private textile museum in a house beside the Wheelwright Museum on Museum Hill in Santa Fe. These plans were stalled and more recently abandoned when her young daughter was discovered to be terminally ill; she began to divest her large textile holdings.

DescriptionThis gbariye or dashiki-style tunic is sleeveless, featuring front pockets that retain vestigial design elements of slits originally intended to hold reins while riding. The tunic is constructed from aso oke strips adorned with warp stripes and warp ikat patterns. The threads are dyed with indigo and a natural magenta dye, alari, derived from cassava root. The magenta ikat patterns are prominent, a decorative style often associated with ceremonial textiles. Further embellishments include machine-embroidered knot motifs, referred to as pako (literally, “chewing stick”). The round neck opening and hem are finished with blue cotton lining, adding a refined touch. Ikat patterning, used in both men’s and women’s textiles, was typically reserved for ceremonial use. The magenta ikat, in particular, was a defining feature of women’s marriage cloth (oparo), traditionally presented by the groom’s family. However, the practice of warp ikat began to decline after the 1960s.