IsiShweshwe and Colonialism

The cloth known as amajamane, amajerimane or isishweshwe has its origins in the East, and was originally made from cotton and blue dye from the indigo plant. Through trade, it spread to different parts of the world including the Cape, where it was initially worn by slaves, Khoisan and colonialists. The earliest origins of isishweshwe can be traced back to the craze for colourful indiennes (Indian cottons) which spread like wildfire across Europe from the mid-1600s. The complicated techniques for making multi-coloured indiennes in Central Europe were eventually adapted to the use of one colour only: indigo.