Indigo Dye Pits of Kano

 We were trying to make the best of our time together in Kano.  Pam was leaving on Monday the 11^th. There was the wedding reception, Pam’s send forth celebration and souvenir shopping to be done.  Most of the places I wanted to check out-- the ancient Kurmi Market, Central Market, the Fabric Market and Indigo Dye Pits had already been visited by the other AVE’s who live in or near Kano.  I was  glad they agreed to revisit at least Kurmi and the Dye Pits after I arrived.  I found my way to the market across from the Central Hotel on my own, but ran out of time before I could get to  another area of the city where thousands of different types of fabric are sold

 After a couple of stops our driver dropped up off at the pits.  We would have to find a taxi or tuk-tuk (canopia) to get back to the house at Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education because the driver who had picked us up 2 hours late, had another engagement.

A man who introduced himself as Hadim greeted us outside the gate to the Kofar Mata Dye pits.  He recognized Pam from her previous visit and chatted with her briefly.   He explained to us that the pits were set up in the late 1400s and were among the oldest in Africa.

I was a bit disappointed when we walked through the archway and onto a multilayered area of concrete like platforms dotted with pits ranging from three to about eight feet in depth.  Only about four of the  30 or so pits appeared to be in use.  Most were filled will trash—discarded water sachets, paper, twigs and the place didn’t generally look as if it had been given the respect of care earned by its historical significance.  We were introduce to one dyer who had worked in the trade for almost 50 years as the involved process of making the indigo dye and coloring fabric was explained.  A few yards away was the ‘ironing room’.  As we approached a rhythmic whomp, whomp, whomp could be heard above the roar of traffic outside the gate.  Four men knelt on either side of 2 logs that were about 2 feet in diameter. In ancient traditional fashion, they alternately pounded pieces of fabric to ‘iron’ or flatten them after they had been dyed and dried.

Then on to the finished products: we were surrounded by vendors showing off fabric of different sizes and shapes who explained the significance of each design—bride and groom, rising moon and sultans guards, among others.  Pam and I bought squares of the bold blue fabric.  Barb decided the products looked too much like 70s tye-dye to invest in. Oh well, so much for historical significance.