Old Fine Bogolan Cloth – Mali

1980; approx. 160.0 × 98.0 cm (62.99″ × 38.58″).

Handmade Malian cotton fabric, traditionally dyed with fermented mud. It holds an important place in traditional Malian culture and is considered a symbol of Malian cultural identity.

In traditional bògòlanfini production, men weave the cloth while women dye it. On narrow looms, strips of cotton fabric about 15 centimeters (5.9 in) wide are woven and stitched together to form larger cloths.

In Malian tradition, bògòlanfini was worn by hunters as camouflage, ritual protection, and a badge of status. Women were wrapped in bògòlanfini after their initiation into adulthood and immediately after childbirth, as the cloth was believed to absorb the dangerous forces released during these moments.

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