AFRICAN PRINTS IN RETROSPECT:
A CASE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract
The paper investigated the nature of machine-produced fabric commercially termed African prints by focusing on a select sample of these prints. It established that the general design characteristics of this print are an amalgam of mainly Javanese, Indian, Chinese, Arab and European artistic tradition.
It also explores the desirability and choice of certain design characteristics discovered in a wide range of African textile traditions from Africa south of the Sahara and their application with possible design concepts Akinwumi (2008:3)
African print was developed from batik, the latter being of Indian origin. Batik diffused from
India to Indonesian islands and Japan while its subsequent perfection was made possible by the Javanese before the thirteen century. Because batik was of Hindu origin, its sacred importance was associated with women’s birth, initiation, marriage etc.
The Javanese developed a high level of batik artistry before they were colonized. They produced many symbolic and non-symbolic patterns.
While under the rule of the Indians, Chinese, Islamic clerics and the Dutch, the Javanese were influenced by an influx of new ideas from the cultures of their overlords. Consequently, some Chinese mythology and Buddhist themes were borrowed and incorporated in their batik.
And greater development of geometric designs was made manifest more than before during the short period Java was made an Islamic state, because Islam forbade the representation of human forms and the like.
By the seventeenth century, Java came under the political control of the Dutch as Javanese batik was introduced to Holland and thereafter to other parts of Europe. Yet, it was not readily accepted in Europe because of its ‘exotic’ design content.
However, the Dutch led interested European firms in developing overseas market for the machine-made batik which became known as wax print, and thus during the Dutch trade expansion, factories were established in overseas ports or possessions, including India, Java, Sumatra, Ceylon and the others.
The Introduction of African Prints to Africa
During the late nineteenth century, the Dutch directed their textile mills in Haalem, Leyden and those in overseas to produce wax prints for the West African markets
Before then, little quantity of wax print were introduced to West Africa by the Europeans, first through Christian missionaries who needed the prints for converts; second, through the European producers who made wax prints for the African market; third, through West African soldiers who brought back Javanese batiks to their wives after serving between 1810 and 1862 in Indonesia.
Thus, by the early decades of the twentieth century, there was a rapid increase in the export of the cloth to Africa, and later in the twentieth century, additional bales of African prints were supplied from Japan and local factories to West Africa
In this process, the marketing of the cloth at the retail level was greatly enhanced by the way and manner attracting indigenous names in the form of proverbs, catch phrases, catch words, slogans, maxims and puns were given to each successful design by African traders, although the names had no connection with the designs.

African Content in the Designs of African Prints
It may have been observed from the above analysis that African prints were produced at various places overseas and in Europe, and that their designs had an amalgam of various artistic cultures, namely Indonesian, Indian, Chinese, Arab, Dutch and European influences.
It appears that European producers were more concerned with fabric colour preferences of various African countries. The early years of the twentieth century witnessed the export of predominantly blue prints for Nigeria while orange and black went to Gold Coast (now Ghana). Later the eastern part of Nigeria favoured deep red and yellow while Ivory Coast cherished brown, yellow, red, dark red, yellows and greens. Zaire went for brown cream, pink, purple and light green.
However, the development of specialty African prints seems to have posed a great problem for the producers.
They produced very few designs of African content, with the exception of the famous Ghanaian sword produced in their early products.
Classical Designs
Most of the classical designs were mainly a wholesale copy of the original import from overseas.
African prints have been greatly enhanced by the retail traders who were the producers’ collaborators; they developed provocative indigenous names for each design in their respective communities. It is suggested that they are the designs made before the 21st century.
There has been widespread use of nature-based design motifs for classical designs which were styled from non-African traditions right from the inception of Africa prints in Africa. This shows that the term ‘African print’, a misnomer was coined by its producers just to deceive the African buyers. The deception has continued up to the contemporary times.
Later designs saw the introduction of popular traditional symbols of some African countries. A case in point is the use of the traditional sword (akofena)
The use of other man-made objects became popular; Combs, stool, footwear, bowls etc.

Samples of Classical Designs GTP, Ghana, 2007

Known Changes * There has been a gradual but steady change in the designs and the colour schemes used. This is as a result of the following factors identified.

* Changing fashion trends among the youth. * A greater percentage of working class women wanting smart dresses for to suit working conditions.

* Most retailers interviewed attribute the changes to the Government’s Friday Wear concept. As a result the designs had to be engineered to suit the new garment design for both men and women.

* Men’s interest has also shifted from the use of these prints for full piece cloth to it use for shirts and other dress goods.

* Current fashion trend of using patterned fabrics to produce dress accessories such as bags, footwear, ties etc. Therefore the designs must be engineered to suit their new demands.

Contemporary Designs GTP NUSTYLE, Ghana 2012 DA VIVA collection, Ghana 2011

CONCLUTIONS
African prints remain essentially Javanese in production techniques. There is a relationship between the form styling of the present prints and an amalgam of Javanese, India, Chinese, Arab and European artistic traditions. The trends of fashion designers dictating the patterns to be produced will go a long way to maintain and possibly increase patronage of these prints.

RECOMMENDATION
Since fashion designers seems to be dictating the pace for textile designers, it is important for textile designers to track fashion trends and produce appropriate designs.

REFERENCES 1. Akinwumi (2008:3-6), The “African Print” Hoax: Machine Produced
Textiles Jeopardize African Print Authenticity. The Journal of Pan African Studies, vol.2, no.5. 2. Cobb, Erika S. (1998:10-12)., "A Critical Discussion Of The History, Function And Literary Relevance Of Ghanaian Wax Prints" African
Diaspora ISPs. Paper 71. 3. http://arttattler.com/designafricancloth.html

4. Serwaa Bonsu(2012). Interview with an African Print fabric retailer. Adum, Kumasi.

5. Osei Yaw(2012). Interview with an African Print fabric retailer. Adum, Kumasi. 6. Barbara (2012). Interview with a shop attendant at Wooden Fabrics, Adum, Kumasi.