Weaving in Africa South of the Sahara

Abstract

JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. UCLA James S. Coleman African Studies Center and Regents of the University of California are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to African Arts. one of the most effectively developed female characters in Achebe's work. That at the end she gives birth suggests the prospect of some ultimate survival of the human spirit in spite of the deaths of the honorable people with whom she was lovingly involved. The dust jacket blurb talks of this novel being "filled with hope." One characteristic of Achebe's distinction as a novelist has been his powerfully ironic last lines, which have become almost a signature of his work. In this novel the last lines are in pidgin: "What kind trouble you wan begin cause now? I beg-o. Hmm!" The "hmm" suggests a curious final irresolution both in the character and the author. Perhaps Achebe is in a state where he feels that his judgment of events is "hmm." But then again, perhaps he is contemplating what trouble he can begin to cause! This novel does succeed, to the extent that its argument is vigorous and convincing, though this is not normally considered the ultimate justification of such a work. Yet, as one reviews the events presented and the interplay of character so deftly designed, one recognizes a major writer at work. If by some miracle the writer's block has broken away, one looks forward with renewed optimism and confidence to the publication of Achebe's sixth book, which will continue and sustain the reputation of this distinguished humanist and man of letters. John Povey WEAVING IN AFRICA SOUTH OF THE SAHARA Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler Panterra Verlag, Munich, 1987. 488 pp., 726 blw & 168 color illustrations, 10 maps, bibliography. Available in English, French, & German editions. $175, FF900, DM300 cloth. Numerous catalogues and articles on various aspects of textile technology, history, embellishment, and function have appeared since the publication of Kate Kent's West African Cloth (1971) and Roy Sieber's African Textiles and Decorative Arts (1972). Moreover, a considerable amount of new field data has become available since African Textiles was compiled by John Picton and John Mack in 1979. A comprehensive, in-depth survey of the textile arts of Africa that reflects the current state of research and analysis is long overdue.Weaving in Africa represents an impressive attempt by Karl-Ferdinand Schaedler to document this significant realm of African creativity in terms of technology and culturestyle area. The book, which is basically encyclopedic and descriptive in its approach, contains an overwhelming amount of data. This wealth of information results from a methodical review of the literature, including early accou...