Origin of and Visual Semiotics in Yoruba Textile of Adire

Abstract

The rich cultural environment with which the Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria are endowed has been a catalyst to the wealth of visual artistic expressions emanating from this region, and for which the people have greatly impacted world artistic culture. Of all their many artistic traditions, Adire, the patterned, indigo – dyed textile of the people perhaps still remains, the most decorative. The symbols of Adire which are created, accepted, and standardized aspect of the people’s culture, are drawn from history, legends, myths, proverbs, foklores and deep observation of the environment of this traditionally deeply religious people. The motifs of Adire are taught by mothers to daughters within dyeing families from generations to generations.However, with external influences and internal developments within the Yoruba region, the origin and  meaning of these symbols have been lost to many and particularly the few remaining Adire artists.This paper, an art historical study, through field work, traces the origin and meaning of these smotifs thematically, analyses and  group them in order to place them in context and as belonging and originating from among the Yoruba,

Keywords: Origin, Visual, Semiotics, Adire, Yoruba, Textile