Ndop

In Cameroon, the Fondation Jean-Félicien Gacha holds an important collection of Ndop textiles. Their characteristically rich, decorative style is the inspiration for this carré by Anamorphée. Produced by the Bamileke people of the Cameroonian savannah, in central Africa, Ndop textiles use cotton woven into narrow strips. This first stage takes place in the north of the country, near Garoua, after which the Bamileke women use raffia thread to apply the designs, reserve-dyed in indigo. Their highly varied decorative repertoire is inspired by the motifs used to decorate traditional homes, and by the drawings of the Wukari people of Nigeria, where this textile tradition is thought to originate. Cameroonian fabrics feature abstract motifs, while their Nigerian counterparts favor representational designs including human figures, lizards and leopards. The fabrics are used for different rituals.