Tonton Kâ, a shaman from the Casamance region of Senegal, made these tunics as a means of protection at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the centuries, talismanic tunics have been made by fgures of great learning or spiritual ability, such as shamans or Suf fgures, in several of West Africa’s ancient centres of Islamic scholarship. These tunics normally include phrases, “magic squares,” and the names of Allah. The maker prepares the woven cotton tunic by writing an appropriate surah from the Koran on a wooden writing board, washing of the text into a bowl with other ingredients, then painting the liquid onto the cloth, which creates a hard surface to write on when it becomes dry. Traditionally, the fnished tunic was worn in secret under the robes of people who required powerful protection, with diferent surahs being employed on the tunics for different defensive needs.
Designed & Developed by: Curves n' Colors | Visual identity by: Wkshps
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