African Marriage Blanket


    
Also known as Arkila Kerka (Mosquito Blanket), this was woven in the early 20th century (1957) by a Fulani weaver for a wealthy Bozo family in the Central Niger River area. It is super long, estimated to be around 20 feet long and 6 feet wide. The materials used to weave this large blanket are cotton and rayon.

    The Arkila Kerka is a woven textile depicting eye-catching patterns of squares, rectangles, diamonds on alternating stripes of different sizes and colors. The colors used are very stunning which include reds, yellows and blues with a splash of black and white to give it more prominence. This is huge blanket.

    The elements used for this work are color and shape. The very first thing that you will notice about this blanket are the striking use and placement of colors and the play of geometric shapes in the design. It also uses the principles of rhythm in the sense that there is a repetition of shapes and patterns. Another principle being used is scale. Needless to say, the size of this blanket is enormous compared to your regular blanket.

      A specially large type of blanket known as Arkila Kerka is a marriage blanket and is made of six narrow strips. Each strip is decorated with traditional geometric patterns of talismanic nature. A Kerka is usually commissioned by the family of the bride as part of her trousseau and is extremely expensive to make. The weaving may take two months to complete and during that time the weaver and his family are supported by the bride’s family who sacrifices animals several times to give feasts for the occasion. This blanket is then used as a bed-screen by suspending it along and over the alcove or bed, forming a mosquito protection. This blanket is a prestigious and an essential component of the bride’s trousseau and therefore has an extremely important social and symbolic significance.

Posted by Blogs by Kameda at April 8, 2009
Categories: About Art
Tags: Bozo Family African Marriage Blanket Fulani Weaver Arkila Kerka
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