West African textile heritage is at risk of being lost

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Not only through the deterioration or disappearance of historic textiles, but through the loss of the knowledge that surrounds them, the techniques, skills, stories, memories and lived experiences that give them meaning.

As generations change, there is a growing need to document the people who hold this knowledge and the ways in which it has been passed down.

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This is why WAA Foundation exists.

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For years, through WAA Studio GH, we have been collecting vintage textiles, Asafo flags, photographs and other materials connected to West African textile history. Alongside the collection, we have been carrying out field research, visiting artisans, spending time with weavers and makers, documenting traditional techniques, recording stories and learning from people who have carried this knowledge throughout their lives.

 

We believe that preservation cannot stop at the object.

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A textile can survive in a collection, but if we lose the knowledge of how it was made, who made it, why it was made and what it meant, an important part of its history can disappear with it.

WAA Foundation brings together collection, research, field documentation, oral histories, photography and film to help build a living record of West African textile heritage.

Our work is about looking closely, listening carefully and documenting what we can, while creating ways for knowledge and skills to be shared with future generations.

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