Tie-Dye (adire) among the jukun people

Abstract

Tie-dye is a craft that is widely practiced in many parts of the world. As an indigenous craft it could be used to forge local identity in the form of dress code. This is especially true for Africa, and Nigeria where Adire, an important Yoruba died cloth, is a product of the tie-die technique. Adire is inextricably connected to the economic and social fabrics of the Yoruba people. Apart from its role in the socio-cultural milieu, it also serves important economic roles by providing the people with job opportunities, source of income, among other benefits. The major material for this craft mostly derives from local sources and the process is slow while the finishing seems poor most of the times. This paper argues that to be able to make Adire art more attractive to the future generation, the finishing needs to be improved.