DAAVI- Reimagining The Anlo-Ewe Woman
Designer: Ami Tamakloe Photography: Allison
As an Anlo-Ewe woman, I grew up with little access to written histories of my people. There was only one migration epic that was taught to us about self and it ended there.
The Anlo-Ewe of West Africa, are one of the sub-ethnicities within the Ewe culture with a very rich and elaborate history. The ethnic group, spreads over neighboring countries including Benin, Togo and Ghana and research findings show there are multiple narratives of the origins of this particular ethnic group.
In my attempt to start research on the Anlo-Ewe ethnic group, my research attempted to trace the migration route of the group. My research focused on some key elements along the supposed migration routes of the Ewe ethnic group. Though I know my findings are far from complete, it is a genesis into a life long work to contribute intellectually and artistically to the knowledge on the Anlo-Ewe and by extension, the Ewe ethnic group.
The selected aspects showcased in this work include Vodun spirituality, Yoruba art (calabash carving and Adire clothmaking) and the Dahomey Mino warriors; of Benin.
Taking inspiration from the stops along the “supposed” migration route, below is how my research manifested in “DAAVI”
Vodun Spirituality, it’s naturalism and its use of cowries for divination. Cowries have symbolized wealth and have also have been used as a tool to communicate with the supernatural. Cowries were incorporated through hand beading in both garments and accessories. Also the concept of non-conformity and naturalism within Vodun can be seen with the nontraditional silhouettes, asymmetry within the garments and the preferred use of natural fibers in the collection.
Oyo Art Calabash carving predominantly can be seen within the accessories of the collecting. The predominant material used in accessorizing the collection was the calabash. Pyrography (the art of burning surfaces to create burn designs), cowrie and wire embellishments were used to design the calabash and buttons. The calabash was cut, sandpapered, sawed and shaped into non traditional shapes to compliment the overall theme of the collection.
Oyo Art Adiré or Indigo dyeing is a resist kind of dying that happens with the Indigo plant. In Adire, patterns are drawn and resist is applied to the desired spots prior to immersion in the dye bath. The resist(usually in the form of starch or wax) is then washed off to reveal elaborate hand made designs on vibrant blue hues of fabric. Taking inspiration from Adiré, “DAAVI” hand created its prints but with black and brown henna, which was readily available. A regular and engineered print were created using this method.
Dahomey Mino Warriors were an all female militia group existed in the kingdom of Dahomey_ current day Benin. These group of women were reported to have been fierce! They held and controlled positions with matched their male counterparts in the socio-political framework of the Kingdom of Dahomey. The Dahomey Mino Warriors inspired the method of fabrication for the collection. The use of unorthodox shapes and statement pieces while maintaining balance, showcasing power and femininity are my interpretation of these powerful women who might have touched the Anlo-Ewe community.