The Beledougou people of Mali live close to the capital city of Bamako but have intentionally remained isolated from outside influences. For centuries, they have preserved their way of life through ancestral practices, including the tradition of “bogolanfini,” a special cloth designed for and by women.
In the Bambara language used in Mali, “bogolanfini” translates to “bogolan,” meaning “made from mud,” and “fini,” meaning “cloth.” Women cultivate and process the cotton, and then hand over the yarns to professional weavers — always men — to weave into narrow strips. Women sew the strips together, prepare the cloth and then paint details with dye made from river mud, which they have sourced from secret locations and enriched with plant materials. The cloth is left to bleach in the sun, accentuating the brightness of the unpainted areas.
Girls and women wear bogolanfini during significant rites of passage, such as menstruation, excision, first intercourse and childbirth. The designs, passed down through generations, are believed to ward off malicious forces, with denser patterns increasing the cloth’s protective power. Designs may express ideas, stories or warnings, but their exact meanings are known only to women in the Beledougou community.
In 1960, Mali gained independence from France, and bogolanfini was eventually adopted as the national cloth. For the first time, men became involved in the application of mud, leading to a simplified production and erasure of the cloth’s traditional power. Bogolanfini has since become an important economic resource for Mali, driven by growing tourist trade, and a respected art form that is taught in schools, featured in international fashion shows and used by professional artists. While Beledougou women still make traditional cloth, fewer produce it in the complex, time-consuming manner that honors its ancient purpose.
Researched by Julie Geschwind
Julie Geschwind has been a docent with the museum since 2004. She has been an assistant curator for textiles at the Baltimore Museum of Art and is adjunct faculty at the Maryland Institute College of Art and the George Washington University teaching courses on the history of textiles.