Graduation project
The Mutuba Spirit
Michelle Akiki Jonker
A mask made of bark cloth, a traditional textile from Uganda, revives the fabrication technique and its pre-colonial heritage.
Ugandans used to proudly wear garments made from bark cloth: a complex and unique textile made by the Otter Clan. It's created by stripping the bark of the Mutuba tree without killing it, allowing the bark to regrow. However, many Ugandans today believe the material is bewitched and associate it with dark magic. British colonizers created this stigma. When they came to Uganda in the 19th century, they demonized the material for being primitive to promote the use of cotton. Inspired by traditional masks used to communicate with spirits, Michelle designed an elaborate bark cloth mask that recounts its own colonial past. Its purpose is to promote the value of bark cloth and the tree that facilitates it by showing its history.