HOT ! Vintage Ndop Cloth Pillow - Fits 24 x 24\" Insert

This stunning pillow is made from a rare vintage Ndop ceremonial cloth from West Africa. The striking indigo graphics provide a fresh pop of color to any décor.

The vintage Ndop (pronounced “dop”) cloth from which this pillow is made came from the Bamileke people of the grasslands in Cameroon. These textiles are exceedingly rare and were mainly used for ritual clothing and ceremonial occasions. Geometric symbols such circles, lines and diamonds reflect tribal life and beliefs.

The process of creating this cloth was difficult and laborious. After weaving, the cloth was dyed using a traditional “resist” dying method. To prevent the indigo dye to reach all the cloth, women artisans would stitch design patterns onto the cloths with raffia fiber. When the dying process was finished, all the stitching would be unpicked to reveal the stunning tribal design.

When this cloth came to me, I found quite a bit of the raffia in place, and I spent a couple of hours to unpick stitches. There may be a little brownish discoloration remaining from the raffia. This just tells of the many hours women spent creating these beautiful textiles.