Bogolan is a textile design technique which
originated in Mali. Pieces of highest artistic
quality come from the DOGON area. There
traditional life has remained unchanged to this
very day and its natives are well-known for being
very skilled in traditional art.

Bogolan are about 10 cm wide handwoven cotton
strips with a coarse structure. These are sewn together and then used as clothing (cloth
for hips and shoulders).

Men do the weaving. The first step is to dye the strips yellow with leaves (most probably reseda). Even though the basic colour will later be brown or black, the first dye is always
yellow.

Only then the 2nd dye begins. The colour brown is reached by using tree bark and black by using mud. Bogolan with a yellow base and black mud drawing originally stem from the Dogon area. The geometric drawing is either a free-hand drawing or applied to by template. The yellow and black Bogolan fabrics were used as clothing for everyone. Black Bogolan fabrics with white drawing are made in batic technique. The dyeing of the cloths is done by women. The Bogolan with a russet basic colour was used exclusively as hunting clothing for men. The Bogolan with white basic colour and black drawing was used as a wedding dress exp. with stylistic Kaurishells that were arranged cross-shaped. Every clan`s clothing is characterized by the typical and individual arrangement of its geometric pattern.