Create a Gara Cloth

Create a Gara Cloth

May 10

1–3 p.m.

Workshop, sublevel 2

Gara products (gara refers to the leaves of the indigo plant) are a symbol of national identity in Sierra Leone. Gara dyeing is said to have been brought to Sierra Leone between 1840 and 1900 by Mandingo traders from nearby Guinea. In the past, chiefs and warriors used traditionally woven cloth dyed with gara for ceremonial dress, bridal dowry, burial cloths, and gifts for important visitors.Today, the word gara is used to describe the dyeing process and products, which are now worn by a much wider circle of people.