PRESERVING INDIGENOUS TEXTILE KNOWLEDGE: MOTIF LEXICON DEVELOPMENT IN AKWA-OCHA HANDWOVEN TEXTILE TRADITION OF THE ANIOMA DELTA-IGBO, NIGERIA

Calista Oduchukwu Nwosu

Abstract


Abstract Traditional textiles among the Igbo people of south-eastern Nigeria represents rich visual communication expressed through symbolic motifs. The motifs and patterns on the textile reflect the world view, life view, social reality, customs and traditions of the people since ancient times. The creativity in motifs and patterns creates a valuable cultural heritage to the Igbo people. However, despite the cultural significance of this motifs, systematic documentation and interpretation of their design vocabulary remains confined. This study investigates the motif system of Akwa-ocha, which is the type of traditional fabric produced by the Anioma, Delta-Igbo with the aim of developing a structured lexicon of its motifs through creative textile production and analytical documentation. The research adopts a practiced-based methodology, combining textile studio experimentation with qualitative ethnographic design. Motifs identified from woven samples were systematically classified and analysed according to their formal characteristics, symbolic meanings and socio-cultural significance. Result reveals that Akwa-ocha motifs encode narratives of social status, cosmology, communal values, and historical memory within the Igbo cultural landscape. The study further demonstrates that the development of a structured Akwa-ocha motifs lexicon has the capacity for preserving and retaining Igbo identity, creativity and culture. The study concludes that the codification of indigenous textile motifs offers a viable strategy for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage while promoting scholarly engagement and creative revitalization within modern textile design practice. Keywords: Akwa-ocha; Weaving; Motif; indigenous Design Knowledge

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