African Mud Cloths

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African Mud Cloths
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• Locally-made mud cloth is cotton cloth decorated
  and dyed with natural materials that blend into
  the colors of the Senufo landscape. Originally,
  the clothes made from mud cloth were worn only by
  hunters, who appreciated the cloth's natural
  camouflaging ability. Now up to one-quarter of
  the population wears mud cloth as everyday
  clothing. Mothers will wrap their babies to their
  backs using large, rectangular mud cloths.

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Painting the mud cloth
A mud and fixative mixture is painted onto the
cloth. (If the fixative were not used in this
step, the mud painting would not stay on the
cloth.) Painting is done with a variety of
objects, including feathers, stamps, and cowry
shellswhatever will make a pleasing design. Some
figures are drawn in bleach.
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Once the painting is completed, the cloth is
dried in the sun for one day.

• After the mud has dried, the excess is removed by
  violently shaking the cloth.
• The cloth is then rinsed.

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The finished product.

• The figures and designs that were painted with
  the mud and fixative mixture will appear black.
  Those painted with bleach will appear white.

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Examples
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Examples
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Examples
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Student Examples
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Student Examples