Agency and Identity

Donson dlokiw (hunter’s shirt)

Mali; Mande peoples

20^th century

Cotton, mirror, horns, bird’s head, leather

Collection of Barbara and Bill McCann

This week we discussed issues of identity and protection.  Mande hunters’ shirts are representations of their identity made to display their skill and experience.  Antlers, teeth, and protective amulets, accumulated during the course of their activities as a hunter, are sewn onto the fabric. Built up over time, these artifacts of the hunt visually articulate the history of the individual hunter. 

 

Young woman’s apron

South Africa; Zulu peoples

Late 19^th to early 20^th century

Cotton, glass beads

Collection of Barbara and Bill McCann

We also explored the various styles of beadwork used by Zulu-speaking people. Originally controlled by the king and used by the upper class, its use, or lack there of, can now signify political, regional, religious identity and social class.

Ta‘jira (woman’s shawl)

Tunisia; Imazighen (Berber) peoples

Mid 20^th century

Wool, cotton, dye, silk thread

Collection of Barbara and Bill McCann

 


Among the Amazigh (Berber) women of Morocco, metaphors of motherhood play important roles in textile, clothing and tattoo designs. These motifs link women with the natural world and emphasize their fertility. They also foreground their position as creators and preservers of Amazigh identity through their knowledge of the Tamazight language.

 
In Northern Kenya personal adornments, such as necklaces, earrings, scarification, and hair styles, are used to identify sex, age, and social status by marking important changes in the social state, such as circumcision, marriage, and elderhood. This helps to create and maintain social order.

How is body modification in your culture used to express agency and personal identity?