Textile design and traditional cultural properties in Nigeria: A batik textile exploration

Abstract

The rapidity of moral degeneracy and bankruptcy in Nigeria and elsewhere is only symptomatic of the apparent fact that African cultures have been under serious threat, through the invectives of alien cultures through globalization. Efforts must therefore be made at arresting the drifting cultural values through the conservation and preservation of traditional cultural properties, such as traditional motifs and their cultural meanings. However, there have been scanty in-depth research to establish a possible nexus between textile design and preservation of motifs of cultural artefacts. This study examined the exploration of the utility of textile design as a veritable instrument in achieving the clarion call by Traditional Cultural Properties (TCP). In this study the Igbo oji isi ato and ududo motifs and their cultural significance were highlighted. The practice led research approach was adopted. The results showed that the batik textile design could be adopted in the preservation of traditional cultural properties in Nigeria. The oji isi ato and ududo batiks were specifically explored and found to be a veritable mechanism that could be leveraged upon in the preservation of symbols and motifs of traditional cultural properties. It is therefore recommended that scholars should explore more areas to achieve the conservation and preservation of motifs of cultural artefacts and traditional cultural properties to arrest the drift in moral values among the youth.