Although best known for their stone sculpture, the Shona Tribe of Zimbabwe has a rich artistic heritage which includes decorative fabric painting using sadza.
Sadza (pronounced sudza) is actually a staple in the diet of the Shona people. Maize (corn) is ground into a fine meal, which is then cooked with water until it is the consistency of mashed potato. Although eaten plain, sadza is often served with a vegatable or meat sauce to give it flavor.
This painting technique uses the sadza instead of wax as a masking between the different paint colors. After painting, the canvas is left to dry in the sun. Finally, the fabric is washed to remove the sadza leaving it with a unique finished appearance. Designs often use traditional geometric patterns mixed with stylized objects from everyday life.
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