ABSTRACT

 

The problem of this study is that of the selection, documentation,
explanation and preservation of some of the traditional motifs found on the
crafts of Southern Kaduna and adapting them for contemporary use on
fabric using Resist Techniques of fabric decoration.
The general objective of the study is to select and manipulate traditional
designs on crafts of Southern Kaduna and adapt them for use as motifs on
contemporary resist fabric decoration, thereby ensuring the sustainability
of such motifs. The purposes of the study are:
1. To identify the traditional crafts of Southern Kaduna and the design
motifs on them.
2. To extract some of these motifs and adapt or transfer them onto
fabrics using resist techniques of textile decoration method.
The study adopts survey method for data collection to obtain relevant
information from the subjects in the sample as suggested by Adetoro
(1997). Exploratory approach and product development (R&D) was used
for sourcing for designs on crafts as suggested by Itten (1997), Belfer
(1976) and Anderson (1961). Other parameters of investigation used in
exploratory methodology include population of the study, sampling, pilot
study and experiments for adaptation of designs to textile fabrics using
resist techniques. Three survey instruments were used in the study. The
first one which is a questionnaire (Appendix II) was used for pilot and the
second one Appendix III (A) questionnaire was used for collecting data of
the fifteen traditional crafts of Southern Kaduna. The third one (Appendix
III B questionnaire) was used for the assessment of the resist pieces of
fabric produced from the modified traditional design motifs extracted from
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the crafts of Southern Kaduna for comparison with those produced within
the recent period. This was done by presenting the two motifs to a
randomly selected sample of 117 respondents, comprising 51 lecturers
and 66 textile students comprising 33 students each from the Fine and
Applied Arts and Home Economics Departments of the Kaduna State
College of Education, Gidan-Waya. The comparative assessment
questionnaire is a five Likert scaled instrument.
The randomly selected, modified, and adapted motifs used in this study
are:
1. Nok-head which is a symbolic motif that articulates the artistic
culture of Southern Kaduna.
2. Dangyet is a symbolic motif of women maturity and dignity.
3. Kikyak is a symbolic motif of weaving and peace.
4. Udung is a symbolic motif of crown of terracottas excellence
5. Chon is a symbol of sharpness and strength.
Based on the analysis of the study, the following findings were made:
1. The production of traditional crafts in Southern Kaduna is on the
downward trend.
2. Fifteen different crafts are still being practised in Southern Kaduna.
3. The traditional crafts of Southern Kaduna have symbolic motifs with
traditional names and are adaptable on textile fabrics, using the
resist techniques of fabric decoration.
4. Cultural and environmental factors such as festivals, annual cultural
day celebrations, naming ceremonies, marriages, burial, initiation
rites and aesthetic values are guiding the use of the traditional
Southern Kaduna design motifs.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Title Page ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. i
Declaration …………………………………………………………………………………………….. ii
Certification ………………………………………………………………………………………….. iii
Dedication ……………………………………………………………………………………………. iv
Acknowledgement …………………………………………………………………………………. v
Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………………………….viii
Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………………………….. x
List of Tables …………………………………………………………………………………….. xvii
List of Figures …………………………………………………………………………………….. xix
List of Plates ……………………………………………………………………………………….. xx
List of Appendices…………………………………………………………….. xxiii
Abbreviations, Definition, Glossaries, and symbols ……………………………… xxiv
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction ………..…………………………………….. 1
CHAPTER TWO: Literature review………………………………………… 13
CHAPTER THREE: Research design and methodology…………………. 93
CHAPTER FOUR: Data presentation and analysis……………….. …….. 142
CHAPTER FIVE: Summary, results, conclusions and recommendations 168
REFERENCES……………………………………………………………….. 182
APPENDICES…………………………………………………………………. 194

 

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION
In Africa, generally, traditional designs and crafts have tremendous
influence on the lives of people, including Nigerians. Willet (1973) supports
this point of view by emphasizing that the life styles of Africans are linked
with their political, social and religious practices. He further expressed
regret over the alarming speed with which this rich cultural heritage and
tradition are declining. Newman (1974) also observed that African
traditional heritage is likely to disappear as he predicted thus:
We are in the dearth of all that is best in Africa… and
this is a well known phenomenon where patrons and
paramount kings have lost their power, rituals are dying,
carvers are putting down their tools, Arts forms flourish
and die everywhere, dyeing pots and pits are drying up.
Newman (1974,p.9).
As rightly observed above, the traditional dyeing pots and pits that are
drying up now, are perhaps never to be wet again to enkindle the fire of the
flamboyant designs, crafts and culture in Africa including Nigeria.
1.1 Background of study:
This study was motivated through the observation that various
designs found on crafts in Southern Kaduna may be very suitable as motifs
on resist fabric in textile design decoration. A pilot study was conducted
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which made the study feasible and encouraged further work in the area.
From the pilot study a number of craftspeople were found practising
different crafts in Southern Kaduna..
Nigeria as a pluralistic society with a teeming population of creative
individuals and groups of diversified cultural background, offers immense
opportunity to study different types of traditional designs and crafts.
According to Akodu (1985), several cultural groups with distinct beliefs and
crafts exist in Nigeria. Postulating the same view, Sigo (2001), opines that
there are two hundred and fifty distinct groups that enrich Nigeria culturally
and distinguish themselves in designs and crafts. Out of these cultural
groups, is Southern Kaduna, upon which this study is focused.
Comprising the Nok Culture area, Southern Kaduna is the nucleus of
the well known ancient design civilization. According to Fagg (1990), this
fact was unveiled and revealed when the first discovery of its figurines was
made in the alluvial tin mining in 1921. Sharing a similar view, Eyo (1990)
describes Nok Culture area as the entire area within the radius of 250km,
from Nok village in Jaba Local Government Area. Jamkur (1992) equally
shares the same view and describes Nok as the founding name of the
ancient Nok Terracotta culture.
Dike and Oyelola (1998) reported that Nok Culture consists of early
designs and crafts of Nigeria which date back to the era of fabrication and
implementation of tools by Nigerian ancestors. They further opine that Nok
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Culture, which flourished between 500 B.C and 200 A.D. and which is
considered to be the oldest in Africa South of the Sahara, emerged from
the deep socio-politico-religious beliefs and philosophies of their
generation. Suffice to say that the present inhabitants of this area have a
design culture, which seems to be disintegrating and needs
documentation. The disintegration is due partly to lack of patronage by the
consumers. This, development, according to the unanimous views of
Nkrumah (1971) and Daoud (1974), is attributed to the effect of colonialism
which makes Africans and indeed Nigerians crazy for foreign goods. Thus,
the terracotta traditional cooking pots and dishes, have today been
replaced with aluminium pots and plates from Europe, America and China.
Similarly Nigeria home-made textiles have been replaced with such foreign
textiles like English wax, Hollandaise, China checks, and a host of other
foreign goods. Now the craftsmen are dieing and getting older and weak
while the youths are reluctant to take their places. This situation keeps on
re-echoing the puzzles of whether the crafts should also die and disappear
into extinction. The search for the answers to these re-echoing puzzles is
the core of the problem and the background of this study.
Standfield (1971), Eicher (1976), Wangboje (1985), Alder and
Bernard (1993), unanimously opined that Nigeria has always produced
diversified crafts. According to Ahuwan (1976), and Adetoro (1972), some
of these crafts include: weaving, pottery, dyeing as well as Textile Resist
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Techniques, (known as adire-eleko in Yoruba), cotton spinning,
embroidery, wood carving, leather work and blacksmithing which carry
geometrical shapes and figurative motifs such as lizards. These crafts are
commonly practised in our pluralistic society, where undue attention is
given to larger ethnic groups, while the smaller groups such as the
Southern Kaduna group are forgotten or downtrodden to the background.
Due to the imminent decline of the crafts of Southern Kaduna and the fear
that some of the design motifs like the Nok-head, Nok-hair-do and kikyak
will become extinct with the crafts, the need for this study becomes more
and more imperative.
1.2 Statement of the Problem.
The problem of this study is the selection, documentation,
exploration and preservation of motifs found on crafts produced in
Southern Kaduna and adapting them for contemporary use on Resist
Technique of fabric decoration.
1.3 Conceptual Framework
In order to treat this problem effectively, it was necessary to critically
survey, identify, unveil, study and document some of the traditional design
motifs found on the crafts of Southern Kaduna for adaptation on textile
fabrics using contemporary resist techniques of tie-dye and batik. Also
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questionnaire was developed to survey the assessment of Southern
Kaduna indigenes with regard to the traditional designs and their
adaptation.
1.4 The general objective of the study
The general objective was to select and manipulate traditional designs on
crafts from Southern Kaduna and adapt them for use as motifs on
contemporary Resist Fabric design, thereby ensuring the sustainability of
such motifs.
1.5 Specific objectives of the study
The specific objectives of the study are to :
1. Select some designs from a defined population of traditional crafts in
Southern Kaduna.
2. Examine the cultural and environmental factors guiding the use of
such designs.
3. Manipulate motifs on the designs in contemporary format.
4. Use the newly developed motifs from traditional types on fabrics as
Resist techniques of fabric decoration.
5. Select through random sampling, a sample from a defined
population of Southern Kaduna to respond to a questionnaire
– 24 –
developed to assess the relationship of the newly modified southern
Kaduna mofits with the traditional ones.
6. Collect samples of motifs from the traditional crafts and those fabrics
designed from their adaption and present them to selected subjects
for their comparative assessment.
7. Develop a questionnaire validated by the supervisors, which are
used to guide the study.
8. Prepare the analysis of the survey in Tables and present results to
enable conclusions and recommendations of the study to be made
1.6 Research Questions.
Hypothesis according to Adetoro (1997), connotes one of the
many ways of expressing a broad research problem in a condensed
testable form. It provides a framework for interpreting research
findings in a simplified and meaningful manner. Kerlinger (1977),
states that a research problem is just a broad question which is not
directly testable. In this study research, questions are opted for
because they provide findings and a solution to a research problem.
The basic purpose of any research, according to Kolo (1998),
is to answer questions, solve problems or develop theories of
interest to the researcher and to add to the reservoir of knowledge
already available on the subject. Sulaiman (1998), further opines
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that research questions are used to guide the research. In line with
these views, the following research questions were proposed and
used to guide this study:
1. Which are the traditional crafts of southern Kaduna from which the
Nok-head, kikyak, dangyet, udung and chon are extracted?
2. What cultural environmental factors are guiding the use of such
designs?
3. Which of the motifs on the crafts of Southern Kaduna can be
manipulated in contemporary format?
4. Which of the newly developed motifs from the traditional types can
be used in resist techniques of fabric decoration?
5. What randomly selected subjects from the defined population of
Southern Kaduna will respond to questionnaire developed to assess
the relationship of the newly discussed motifs with the traditional
types?.
6. What available samples of motifs from the traditional crafts and the
fabric designs from their adaptation can be selected for their
comparative assessment?.
7. How are the traditional design motifs of Southern Kaduna, the
contemporarily modified and the resist samples produced from them
are assessed
– 26 –
8. How is the analysis of the survey prepared and presented to enable
conclusions and recommendations as well as contribution to the
study to be made?
1.7 Justification/Significance of the Study
Investigations carried out so far reveal that scholars like Fagg
(1990), and Eyo (1990) have written extensively on Nok culture
which Southern Kaduna is part of. Nevertheless, most of these
scholarly documentations are on sculpture. Commenting on these
efforts, Vansina (1970), emphasizes the need for African students to
diversify their research, rather than limiting themselves to the
aesthetic appeal of sculptures. In response to these scholarly views,
this study is focused on the design motifs of the crafts of Southern
Kaduna. It is fascinating to note that Southern Kaduna people who,
as opined by Alao (2001), constitute 53 groups out of the estimated
250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, have some originality in some of their
aspects of design and crafts. Some of these, like the ‘agwab’ which
was used as penis sheath by male adults and ‘dangyet’ which was
used by dignified women as hip wear, have disappeared. Even
pottery and matting which used to be popular crafts have started to
disappear, and will disappear completely, if they are not recorded.
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The need to document and attempt to revitalize Southern Kaduna
people’s crafts is imperative.
Similarly, Wangboje (1985) encouraged the conduct of local
research into the tradition and local materials in order to meet the
challenges of the time, and to produce products that are relevant to
the need, taste and culture of a society. This study further responds
to the call by Jamkur (1992), for more relevant research on Nok
culture, and also responds to the government incessant call for
Nigerians to look inwards rather than outwards for their needs. The
fact that Nigerians are living in an era of democracy with some
economic hardship that is making the people to patronize homemade
goods, makes this study relevant. According to Jari (1985), the
home-made goods which many Nigerian now rush for include textile
products such as adire, eleko, okene, akwete, aso-oke and aso-obi.
This recent development makes this study not only justifiable and
imperative but timely. In the present democratic dispensation and
the seemingly rising feelings of nationalism, cultural inclination with
the ardent desire for industrialization and economic emancipation,
the significance of this study, in this direction therefore, cannot be
underrated.
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1.8 Scopes and Limitation
This study attempts to investigate designs on randomly
selected traditional crafts in Southern Kaduna, adapting them to
contemporary forms for use in resist textile fabrics and presenting
the two types of designs to a selected group in Southern Kaduna for
assessment. In order to make the study feasible and to accomplish it
within the specified period, it was delimited to the study of the design
motifs from four randomly selected crafts of Southern Kaduna which
is the present Nok culture area of Kaduna state from which 33
design motifs have been identified. 33 design motifs were randomly
selected from four crafts for the resist techniques production. These
are: weaving, pottery, carving and resist production known as
Kampala. The four selected crafts represent 20% of the 15 different
crafts that were identified during the pilot study, which is twice the
10% population sample recommended by Roscoe (1969). Since it is
not possible for a researcher to cover every member of a population
in research, especially when the population is too large, Roscoe,
(1969) recommends 10% of the population as a study sample,
provided the population is not less than 30 and not more than 5,000.
In this study, the identified motifs are more than 30 and less than
5,000 and therefore suitable for Roscoe sample. The four randomly
selected motifs represent 10% of 33 design motifs identified.
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The Nok culture geographical area of Kaduna state from
which this study sample was drawn, comprises 12 Local
Government Areas (L.G.As.) lying south, within and slightly North of
Kaduna town. The adapted design motifs and the design of the
traditional crafts are compared for their similarities and
dissimilarities. Only 10% of the design motifs identified based on the
recommended study sample by Roscoe (1969) as already explained
above are randomly selected for the practical adaptation on textiles
using resist techniques (batik and tie-dye comprising starch resist
printing, and wax painting) production, to determine their suitability
as textile design motifs for textile fabrics. Questionnaire was
developed, validated by supervisors and administered to randomly
selected respondents. (Appendix III B).
Due to the cultural inclination of this study, data collection was
limited to the socio-political area of the Southern part of Kaduna
state. It was confined only to the crafts of the Southern Kaduna
people living in Kaduna state.
1.9 Pilot study:
Adetoro (1997) contends that pilot study is a preliminary
survey embarked upon by the researcher to test the feasibility of the
study. In line with this view, a pilot study was conducted between
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December 2000 and March 2001 in Sanga, Kaura, Jema’a, Lere and
Zango Kataf local government Areas. It was continued in the ancient
town of Nok in Jaba, Kagarko, Kachia, Kauru, Chukun and Kaduna
South local government areas where different crafts and craftspeople
were identified using the introductory letter and the
questionnaire in Appendices I and II respectively.
During the study, 1303 crafts people were found practising the
15 different crafts with some design motifs. This made the study
feasible and encouraged the researcher to prepare for the actual
study. The findings in the pilot study were used in determining the
samples of crafts and craftspeople.
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