Bashofu is a fabric made locally in Kyushu from wild Bananas which grow there due to the tropical climate of the islands, and is ideal for the heat as the fabric does not stick to the body when a wild sweatdrop appears.
Historically the Ito-basho tree and fabric-weaving skills were introduced to Kyushu from Southern China, and were sent back to Ming dynasty China in bolts as gifts, having being traded with the Satsuma since at least the 17th century and for far longer as tribute to Ryukyuan kings from the 15th century. Historically, Bashofu was created all over Ryukyu and during the 19th century the Takahata loom was introduced which increased production rates, but which dropped after 1945 with the passing of many of the Ryukuyan weavers. Today the textile is woven in the Kijoka (喜如嘉) are of Ojimi Village (大宜味村; Ufujimi in the Ryukyuan language) in the Kunigami district of Okinawa Prefecture. In 1974 the tradition was recognised and is today deemed an Important Tangible Cultural Property, and its first living national treasure Tairo Toshiko (平良 敏子) in 2000 who turns 100 this year! (Congratulations Ms!) In local Ryukyuan folklore, it is said that Bashofu . Ryukuyans also hold that the cloth is a protective charm over it's wearer body and soul, and this is shown by the life expectancy of its residents who often live to over 100.[1][2]
Bashofu yarn is made using the bast fibres which jut from the trunk of the tree, of the musa balbisinia (Ito-basho) plant. The further out the fibre extract is from the trunk, the courser the result when made into Bashofu it becomes. Initially the cloth is made by dividing these course fabrics into layers and grades of courseness, boiled to soften and scutched to remove the excess tree sap created and left to dry. When the fibres dry, these splits are divided again for their thickness and knotted end-to-end to be spun and woven, requiring 40 trees worth of fibres to make a bolt of cloth.[3][4] The colouring of Bashofu is created primarily from the condition of its original fibres, so factors such as heat and how many grades the bast fibres came from the trunk determine the level of yellow to browning which the main colour of the cloth produces. Patterns are often applied to the fabric later on in brown or indigo application of stripes or checks and hatching patterns in graduating browns.[2][3]
The bigger problems faced today by Bashofu weavers is in the carrying on of the u-umi (hand woven) tradition of Bashofu weaving. Ms. Taira as head of the Preservation Society is working to combat this.[4]
Reference List
[1] https://www.selvedge.org/blogs/selvedge/bashofu
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Cgimi
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kij%C5%8Dka-bash%C5%8Dfu
[4] https://www.oki-islandguide.com/specialfeatures/pride-of-okinawa-basho-fu
Further Links
Bashofu production: http://www.bashofu.jp/
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