The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-07

OF dyes ana uypStuHS. The natives OF
northern Nigeria do not find the question
"f dyes II problem. Not that the negroes there
90 naked. for clothes are volmninous and fash.
i"ilallr now in most parts of that region. But
tlr r"l"rs long derrecd by fashion are blue,
white. or blue AMI white. and everybody grows
his own indigo and is content 10 follow the mode.
The first ami only aniline dyed goods tn come
L" America from Central Africa are in a north
"rn Nigrriam exhibit which is being set up this
week in the Commercial Museum, Philadelphia.
French AMI British traders introduced anilinp
oils I" the district around DonGa. which is In
the eastern part ~ northern Nigeria, some years
ago. and wherever they could get II chiefs wife
t" don III" vivid shades the custom spread. But
blue WAS ucvrr quite superseded and when the
war cut of the supply of aniline the Nigerian
m"liSt,.> declared for blue AMI white again and
"vrryloly was satisfied.
While they were uSin: aniline dyes the
women If Donga created very wonderful effects.
They dyed threads and then wove them In
Stripes. largely a brillnnt shade alternating with
white on wide looms. one IT which has been
sent with the striped cloths to the museum.
u is the first wide loom to rome to this country
from the black mans continent. all others being
very narrow, not more than two inches wide.
This unique collection of native cloth aud
,lycStuff> from Nigeria, together with other ar
ticl,S Indigenous to the locality, Is the only one
Of its kind In the UniteI States; and 50 far a>
the Commercial Museum authorities know moth
ing u, complete and beautiful as the array OF
slawlS and blankets shown has ever been Sc
cured for any other African exhibit In any part
~ The world.
e.. l.. Whitman. an American missionary, Is
lmairl IN the vicinity OF the Renue River III
,,r,i,nr,, Niupfil and Is Cplllll SSlOltSl ny the
mus,uIn to send to America photographs ana
specimens of Central African handiwork to be
used in the public schools Of pennsylvania. lie
has been twenty years acrumu'hting the exh1tnt
NOW ON view. not 10y exploration ana search
lil by daily. friendly intercourse with n race
ly no means primitive and unenlightened. who
arc not alwayS willing to part with certain OF
their treasures. even for money.
The Mmnshi blankets which Mr.. whitman Sc
cured from the neighhorhood Of Kano In the
western part of Nigeria might he priced by any
one. Kino has been IN important cloth centre
since the ninth century. says the history OF the
IIausa tribe: and the Haush tribe has been the
leading elan In Nigeria for many centuries.
Kane itself Is one Of the largest cities In Cen
trail Africa. the most Industrious and inspiring.
Even 10 II greater extent than Tlmbuctoo was
II formerly the centre OF the caravan trade
across the desert. Now that the caravan has
gone and the new English railrOnd, which Is
lsins built from the coast. has crept ls,st 1t,
1t is still IN important market and trade centre.
The MunSli trihesinen are astute ana able and.
Judging from their dyed products, artistic rs
well. They have a most ingenious method for
obtaining IN elaborate. Intricate blue and white
pattern cloth. Blankets In the various stages OF
manufacture are shown In the collection.
The women weave cloth I'm narrow strips,
their l'olnS being the usual narrow African
kind. They sew these together with wide seams
to make n large piece. Sometimes. instead OF
seams, they join the pieces with drawnwork
which they introduce In other parts Of the
"l"ih, AT right angles and dlagonnlly. They
have never been taught to do this sort of fancy
work, hit their original designs, while simple.
nr,. good.
.\flrr the cloth IL of the required size u
cherry stick Is chewed at one end until It can
Il" uS"l ~ II brush. This Is dipped in wet clay
and II PATTERN traced on the white background.
The lines az clay are then covered with slender
reeds ~ rush and A'wei over and over np,in,