APPRAISAL OF EMBROIDERY, APPLIQUÉ, AND OTHER DECORATIVETECHNIQUES

Abstract

This study looks at the cultural, economic, and social importance of traditional Nigerian decorative textile techniques, focussing on embroidery (Zane), appliqué (Asọ-Oke), and weaving (Akwete).  These techniques have been a part of Nigerian culture for a long time and are still important for shaping cultural identity and marking important life events.  But globalisation, mass production, and modern fashion trends have made it much harder for these traditional crafts to survive and thrive.  This study looks at how these decorative techniques have changed over time, what their current status is in both urban and rural markets, and what problems artisans face in staying relevant. It does this by using a mix of methods, such as ethnographic fieldwork, semi-structured interviews, consumer surveys, and documentary analysis.  The results show that there is still a demand for traditional textiles, especially for ceremonial purposes. However, artisans face a lot of problems, such as competition from cheap imported textiles, not having enough access to modern tools and funding, and younger generations losing interest.  Even with these problems, the study shows that Nigerian textiles are becoming more popular in modern fashion around the world and that these crafts could do well with the right support.  The study ends with suggestions for giving artisans more power, promoting traditional textiles through education and marketing, and using modern technologies to make sure that Nigerian decorative textile arts can last.s