Body painting designs

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Body Painting Designs, post 1910
African, Calabar, Igbo people
Uli dye on paper

Donated by Mrs A S Arnot, 1953
Museum number 1953-64-1=2

This drawing shows Uli designs, a type of temporary decoration that Igbo women traditionally painted on their bodies using a dye made from the seeds of uli plants. The missionary schools discouraged women from painting their bodies and instead taught them to use the designs as inspiration for embroideries.

Body painting designs
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