OLUBUGO

about the piece

Olubugo is a film project about the production of barkcloth in Uganda. It includes a documentation of the production processes as well as numerous interviews.

Olubugo, or barkcloth, is one of the oldest textile production methods in human history.

It dates back 12,000 years and uses the bark of the Mutuba fig tree. Today, it is recognized as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is protected by UNESCO.

The fabric does not need to be woven; instead, it is made from the bark of the tree without harming the tree itself. It is therefore a resource-efficient practice that corresponds in many ways with modern principles of sustainable production.

The Mutuba fig tree appears in numerous myths and stories of the Buganda people. For example, young couples traditionally planted these trees when they married so that they could later produce clothing for their children. During the 13th and 14th centuries, barkcloth garments were reserved exclusively for the royal family, but over time the fabric spread throughout Buganda society. It served not only as clothing but also as a means of payment and as a central element of many rituals and traditional ceremonies. The deceased were also wrapped in barkcloth for burial.

However, with the arrival of Arab traders in the 19th century, who brought woven cotton fabrics with them, and the British occupation, which proclaimed the Uganda Protectorate in 1896, the production of barkcloth declined rapidly. Following the dissolution of the traditional kingdoms after independence in 1963, the subsequent exile of the royal families, and the prohibition of traditional cultural practices—including the production of Buganda barkcloth—this tradition was almost entirely forgotten, surviving mainly in burial rituals.

Today, the material is experiencing a renaissance, as it has been rediscovered by the textile industry as a climate-friendly and sustainable alternative.

In recent years, various materials have been introduced to the market under the brand names BarkCloth and BarkTex.

A. Merkel, B. Obama and E. Macron were photographed at Schloss Elmau during the G7 Summit in front of a wall panel made of BarkCloth, and NASA even selected BarkTex as one of the Top 10 materials innovations of 2015.

videos

credits

Concept: Christoph Winkler and Robert Ssempijja |  Directed by: Robert Ssempijja | Featuring: Joseph Ntemele, Isaac Katende, Kalisizo Community in Masaka district | DOP: Kibuuka Musika| Video Editing: Gabriella Fiore

A production by Company Christoph Winkler. Funded by the Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion.