Lugejani

Lugejani is a traditional textile weaving practice and the set of ceremonial textiles produced by communities across a broad region. It combines technical skill with storytelling and social ritual, and the textiles are frequently used in rites of passage, weddings, and seasonal celebrations.

The term lugejani is thought to derive from local languages, though precise etymology remains debated among linguists and historians.

The earliest written references to lugejani date to 19th-century trade records and ethnographic accounts, but oral histories suggest the craft predates these documents and was transmitted within families through generations.

Weaving is typically done on hand-operated looms, including backstrap or frame looms, with locally grown cotton, wool, or plant fibers. Dyes are produced from plant extracts, bark, and minerals, yielding a natural palette of earth tones and vibrant blues and greens. Patterns are often geometric and symmetrical, with motifs that symbolize kinship ties, landscapes, harvests, or mythical beings.

Texts and garments woven in lugejani play a central role in ceremonies: belts, shawls, tunics, or panels accompany rites of passage, weddings, and harvest festivals.

The craft is commonly organized in family workshops and small cooperatives, enabling apprentice learning and intergenerational transfer of design repertoires.

In recent decades, lugejani has faced pressures from industrial textiles and market changes, but artisans have maintained practice through adaptation, collaborations with designers, and participation in cultural heritage events and local markets.