Original Fabric Map of Africa

[Emeagwali, Gloria (History)]

Does anyone know who originally 

designed the African fabric map?

It was posted on this list some years ago

by one of us. Now it is being appropriated by

a South Asian researcher who boldly claims

that she created the African fabric map.

 I am trying to trace the original innovator. 

My suggestion for all is that for any

design/map/chart,  please insert your

name on the actual  design along with

the  copyright symbol, to preempt 

intellectual theft.

GE

Dr. Gloria Emeagwali
Professor of History/African Studies, CCSU
Chief Editor- "Africa Update"
https://sites.ccsu.edu/afstudy/archive.html
Gloria Emeagwali's Documentaries
www.vimeo.com/gloriaemeagwali
www.africahistory.net
Founding Coordinator, African Studies, CCSU

[Michael Afolayan]

Gloria: I wonder if it was designed by Boston University African Studies Program in the late '70s to early '80s. It was the same Center that originated the map called "How Big Is Africa?" Sara Berry was there long ago when Bababra Brown was the Title VI Center Director. They may know something about it. Unfortunately, I don't have their contacts any longer. But your advice is great; if you don't attach your name to your own design, copyrighted and dated, it's in public domain and becomes a gift to the world. It's a book without an author!

MOA

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[Emeagwali, Gloria (History)]

Thanks, Michael.

I do recall sending a congratulatory 

note to the West African female 

designer, when the original map 

came out. I shall try to trace it.

Dr. Gloria Emeagwali
Professor of History/African Studies, CCSU
Chief Editor- "Africa Update"
https://sites.ccsu.edu/afstudy/archive.html
Gloria Emeagwali's Documentaries
www.vimeo.com/gloriaemeagwali
www.africahistory.net
Founding Coordinator, African Studies, CCSU

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From: 'Michael Afolayan' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, July 26, 2024 6:58 PM
To: usa <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Original Fabric Map of Africa

 

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[chachag...@gmail.com]

GE,  

Ok.I look forward to your tracing. I have gone through both archives of USAAfricanDialogue without success, maybe because I don't have other useful keywords you used: ("Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue; Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html").

In the meantime, l note that since 2020 when it was first posted and claimed by many online that Priya designed it, no one else seems to have contested that.

Re:

https://x.com/iamToluDaniel/status/1307373734353924098

https://x.com/FemiOke/status/1305937001888264193

https://x.com/emeka_okafor/status/1302576641349226496

It seems that this one posted in 2012 and 2013 looks a bit similar to the 2020 one but without captions and attribution, could it be the one you are looking for:

https://www.facebook.com/afrigeneas/posts/247957882002834 |  https://x.com/AfriGeneas/status/292654795179823104

Cf.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/312366924129036673/ | https://x.com/Cewaxshop/status/520599399433781248

If and when this contestation of its origin is resolved, we may wish to (re)discuss what it means to design, innovate, appropriate, and so forth in relation to this:

"Overwhelming response to my fabric map of Africa. Started as a simple artistic illustration about the fabrics I love. Thankful to all those who sent me messages, teaching me more. #positivevibes Working on another version soon. #fabricmapofafrica #artist" - Priya Shah /Mia Kora https://x.com/miakora_/status/1303376762525622278

"My Fabric map of Africa.. celebrating the richness of this beautiful continent through my work and passion... #proudlyafrican #kenyanartist #britishartist #indianartist" - Priya Shah /Mia Kora https://x.com/miakora_/status/1302590382249836544

Cf.

"Day 30 - A map of the #30DayMapChallenge I wanted to finish the challenge in a colorful note with a map of fabric used in Africa using {ggpattern}. I want to thank @tjukanov, the #rstats community and particularly @jakub_nowosad for centralizing all #rspatial submissions" - Ahmadou Dicko https://x.com/dickoah/status/1333506738386038784

Best Regards,

CC

On Sunday, July 28, 2024 at 6:53:18 AM UTC+3 Gloria Emeagwali wrote:

No. The person was West African.

I hope she identifies herself.

On Sat, Jul 27, 2024 at 22:45 Chambi Chachage <chachag...@gmail.com> wrote:

GE,

According to this tweet from 2020, the person you are referring to as ‘South Asian’ is Kenyan:

“The Fabric Map of Africa was designed by Kenyan artist Priya Shah” — Felix Tih, 

https://x.com/felixtiih/status/1308128457826676740?s=46

Of course, Priya is an Asian name but we have East African of Asian/Indian/Pakistan origins here in Tanzania/Zanzibar, Kenya, and Uganda.

Cf. “I was born in Kenya, and all creative influences, my inspiration, my passions – all come from Kenya” — https://glittertrotter.com/blogs/our-creatives/five-minutes-with-priya-shah-mia-kora

“Priya Shah, Kenyan Textile Designer and Founder of Mia Kora” —

https://minds-africa.org/fabric-map-of-africa-the-art-of-storytelling/

“Priya was born and brought up in Kenya, and Kenya influences a lot of her work”—

https://www.iamthecode.org/podcast/building-inclusion-s3e17-in-conversation-with-priya-shah-when-arts-and-technology-collide/

“Growing up in Kenya, Priya Shah spent a lot of time outdoors, going to national parks and camping. This triggered a passion for conservation that inspired her business, a niche clothing store called Mia Kora” - 

https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/tea/magazine/passion-for-conservation-inspires-fashion-pieces-1444182?view=htmlamp

PS. cannot but help recall our discussion about Abdulrazak Gurnah; do you find it problematic when it is not a (‘fully’) Black African doing it?

Best Regards,

CC

[Emeagwali, Gloria (History)]

Chachage

I absolutely appreciate your

current approach.

I tried going through the archives 

as well but realized that the curator

tended to hyper - edit posts.

2012 is indeed a good estimate 

for the original. I shall look at

the recommended posts.

Thanks.

It is hard to contest things if 

you didn’t put your name, or

copyright your invention,

in the first place.

Dr. Gloria Emeagwali
Professor of History/African Studies, CCSU
Chief Editor- "Africa Update"
https://sites.ccsu.edu/afstudy/archive.html
Gloria Emeagwali's Documentaries
www.vimeo.com/gloriaemeagwali
www.africahistory.net
Founding Coordinator, African Studies, CCSU

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Sent: Sunday, July 28, 2024 10:17 PM
To: USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>

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[Emeagwali, Gloria (History)]

“If and when this contestation of its origin

 is resolved, we may wish to (re)discuss 

what it means to design, innovate, 

appropriate, and so forth in relation 

to this” Chachage

Chachage,

You raised some great questions.

By  coincidence, yesterday I received 

a copy of a beautifully published book:

N’Dri Addie -Lumumba.ed.

“Akwaba Africa:African Renaissance in the

21st century, Africa World Press, 2024.

In that text I have a chapter entitled:

“Ancient African Inventions and Innovations 

with reference to Southern Africa.”

I paid attention to the conceptual issues 

associated with innovation and invention, 

citing Mavhunga (2014), Ashton (2015),

 Dei ( 2008, 2011,2012,2014),Drucker 

(2012), Dyer et Al (2011) and many more.

Dr. Gloria Emeagwali
Professor of History/African Studies, CCSU
Chief Editor- "Africa Update"
https://sites.ccsu.edu/afstudy/archive.html
Gloria Emeagwali's Documentaries
www.vimeo.com/gloriaemeagwali
www.africahistory.net
Founding Coordinator, African Studies, CCSU

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From: 'Emeagwali, Gloria (History)' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, July 29, 2024 2:15 PM
To: chachag...@gmail.com <chachag...@gmail.com>; USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/MW6PR01MB82728A1DBE2AA933FC55AB29DEB72%40MW6PR01MB8272.prod.exchangelabs.com.

[Oluwatoyin Adepoju]

Thanks for that Gloria.

Ive been asking myself, for example- what are the various ways of responding to the now much criticised claim that Mungo Park discovered the source of the River Niger?

Is it not possible that he actually discovered it, even though assisted by native guides who might not have been there before?

Assuming they had been there before him, what becomes Park's achievement?

Integrating his find, if it may be so called, into a broader knowledge system represented by geography as developed in the West?

What was the place of the Niger in the knowledge systems of the African peoples who knew of it?

The Luba of the Congo, for example, developed a sophisticated geographical system correlating landscape, spatio-temporal history and spiritual history, as embodied in the lukasa mnemonic device, an old system which has been partly adapted for contemporary use.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/usaafricadialogue/MW6PR01MB827228959CC32D729CB0BE4FDEB02%40MW6PR01MB8272.prod.exchangelabs.com.