The Weight of the Ndop Cloth (Part Two)

- November 27, 2019

“The cloth I am wearing is called Kelanlang in our native language [Oku]. It is worn only by notables from the royal family. Any other person is not entitled to wear it. … If you are not a Nchinda, or a member of the highest traditional body that regulates the entire population [Kwifon], you are not allowed to have it on you. You will be fined if you violate this rule.” (Tantoh Ndula, Humans of Oku September 21, 2017)

The rules of the possession or acquisition of the “ndop” are basically the same in the different ethnic groups/tribes that make up the North West Region. It is possible to inherit the “ndop” from a family member but this only happens when the person in question equally inherits the title previously held by a deceased family member. Once you are initiated into any of the secret societies that constitute the cabinet of the fondom, you can inherit, buy and wear the fabric.

Most people who are not eligible to wear it do so and get away with it because in towns or abroad, it is difficult to tell/ know who is who. For those who are not initiates or members of the royal family and who love the fabric, the introduction of the print version has given them a cheaper and volatile alternative.

The Ndop

It would surprise many to know that “ndop” is an expensive fabric considering its proliferation of our markets today. However, that surprise is erased when they come to the knowledge that the original “ndop” is very rare today. During events like coronations and the celebration of a “missing” Fon, a closer look at the fabrics might help you discover the difference between the original and the modern “ndop” and perhaps, the versions for commoners and those for royals and notables.

The work invested in the production of the original “ndop” warrants its price. In the domain of fashion and design, handmade products are relatively expensive because of the time and care invested in the creation process. For those who are familiar with the “gandora” or call it “agbada,” a dress popular in the northern regions, those embroidered with the hand are far more expensive than those embroidered with sewing machines. The original “ndop” falls under this category.

This ceremonial cloth is manually woven and dyed traditionally using natural dyes. The cotton is twirled into yarn and then woven in narrow strips. After that, the strips are sewn together by hand into larger portions of the fabric. When the weaving and sewing is over, the cloth is prepared for dyeing.

The dyeing process starts after the desired geometric patterns are marked on the cloth in red. Tight patches of raffia are then stitched tracing the designs on the cloth. This can take months and it requires a lot of patience and mastery. The raffia (resist) stops the dye from touching the stitched sections or patched patterns, thus preventing it from spreading all over the cloth. This is known as the traditional resist dyeing technique.

The dyeing and drying processes have several stages. The cloth is dipped in a dye pit and dried several times. At the final stage, the cloth is sunned till the desired shade of blue is achieved. When the raffia is loosened, the white patterns are revealed and the fabric is ready for use.

Today, cotton blankets are used as a substitute for woven strips. This has made the process a little less demanding and time consuming. It takes a trained eye and a trained hand to notice the difference between the dyed ndop-look-alikes and that reserved for the blue bloods and notables. The print version and dyed look-alikes are merely copies. Thus, there are solutions for those who love the original but are not initiates.

Dyed copy for commoners

Aesthetic use of dyed
Ndop lookalike (copy)

The modern print is easy to differentiate from handmade strip cloth and cotton blanket because it has finer compacted strands. The upsides of the modern print are: it is easier and faster to make, it is easily available, it can easily be cut and sewn and it is cheaper. It has revolutionised the “ndop,” making it a fashionable print, in a world where African prints are fast gaining recognition and awareness.