trousers
- Museum number
- Af1997,18.1
- Description
-
Man’s trousers: panels of imported European white calico cotton sheeting sewn together to form a baggy pair of trousers with narrow leggings attached at each side. The lower half of the garment has been extensively hand-embroidered with patterns of diamonds, stripes, knots and circles in wool dyed red, green, black and pink. The legs of the trousers have been embroidered with stripes in burgundy and green in herringbone stitch. The waistband has been created by adding a single length of white cotton through which a drawstring has been run.
- Production date
- 1914-1918 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 87 centimetres
-
Width: 177 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- The trousers, tobe and hat in the Sherliker gift (Af1997,18.1 to 3) were clearly acquired as an ensemble to be worn together.
Most Hausa and Nupe embroidery is worked by men and although primarily used on men's clothing may also occur on women's garments. Baggy drawstring trousers such as these are worn beneath wide embroidered gowns by men in northern Nigeria. Many of the patterns are named. The designs are often a combination of indigenous and Islamic forms.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Good; cotton base cloth slightly grubby, stained in centre. Wool embroidery damaged in some places.
- Acquisition date
- 1997
- Acquisition notes
- Af1997,18.1 to 9 was given by Mrs Sherliker and is recorded as "a small collection acquired by the donor's father-in-law in Naraguta, Nigeria, during World War I.
The donation book records that the gift consisted of "one pair of embroidered trousers, a cotton cap and a tunic, one coat, a wooden bowl and stand, and a raffia bowl with shells."
An earlier gift from Mrs Sherliker of objects collected by her father-in-law (Af1959,01.1 to 13) contains the additional information that he had been in northern Nigeria (Naragauta region) and the Cameroon Grasslands during the First World War.
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1997,18.1
