An Overview of Pre-Colonial Textile Technology in Katsina State, Nigeria

Abstract

Long before industrial manufacturing reached Northern Nigeria, artisans of Kasar Katsina operated a technologically sophisticated textile production system rooted in the Central Sudan. This study reconstructs the complete chaîne opératoire that sustained the industry, from the cultivation of short-staple cotton (auduga) and the harvesting of wild forest silk (tsamiya), through the construction of the double-heedle treadle loom (uwar masaka), to subterranean indigo-vat dyeing (marina), mallet-glazing (bugu), and symbolic hand embroidery. Drawing on archaeological survey, oral testimony, and archival sources, the study documents evidence of an industrialised weaving and dyeing tradition — including the surplus dye pits still visible — across eight historic centres of central Katsina: Dabawa, Wurma, Birchi, Illaila, Kafin Dangi, Ingawa, Mahuta, and Chida. It examines the artisans who produced local cloth, their raw materials and tooling, their socio-economic organisation, and the colonial-era factors associated with the industry's decline and situates hand-woven attire within wider debates on national identity. The study concludes by recommending the integration of this technical heritage into vocational curricula and cultural preservation frameworks.