Royal tunic
Cameroon, Bamum people
20th century

This tunic probably was worn by a member of a royal regulatory society in the service of the sacred ruler in the Grassfields of Cameroon in West Africa. Similarly patterned large "display cloths" are used to demarcate royal space on significant occasions in the numerous Bamileke and Bamum sacred chiefdoms. Traditional display cloth was an important part of specialist production and trade.

In the 19th century, the cotton for the cloth was often woven and patterned by Hausa people in northern Nigeria, traded to the Grassfields, and then sold to Bamileke and Bamum royalty. In 1910 some Hausa craft workers were invited to work at the Bamum royal court. Several innovations resulted, including the use of two shades of blue as represented in this tunic. This court production only lasted about 10 years. The large circles on the tunic represent kola nuts, a symbol of hospitality. These textiles continue to receive respect in Cameroon. A mass-produced printed version now fills the needs of non-royalty and more mundane occasions.

Warp: cotton. Weft: cotton. Plain-weave, animal hair
Resist patterned, dyed
The Textile Museum 2007.30.3, gift of Harry Greenberg

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