What is Korhogo cloth?

Korhogo cloth is an African textile made by the Senufo people of Korhogo, Ivory Coast. Often described as being in the shadows of bogolafini and kente, korhogo comes in neutral and earthy tones like browns, blacks and creams. Korhogo is made by hand painting designs on hand woven and hand spun cotton fabric. The paintings are done using a specially fermented mud-based and natural vegetal pigment that darkens over time, and designs are usually drawn on using a stencil. They are decorated with symbols of humans, natural elements like the sun, moon and stars and animals, all of which are rooted in Senufo culture and mythology. The Senufo use the cloth as a shield against vengeful spirits by wearing or hanging them in homes/shrines. Korhogo is commissioned for hunters and rite of passage events like funerals/special ceremonies.

Men and women are involved in the fabrication of the cloth. Both cultivate the cotton, the women spin the cotton into yarn and prepare the dye while men weave and decorate the cloth. Upon completion, the fabric is often used for clothing, decor and many more.