Kofar Mata Dye Pits

The dye pits at Kofar Mata have been in use for more than five hundred years, a field of circular pits sunk into the ground and lined with clay, filled with a mixture of indigo, potash and ash that ferments over weeks before cloth is dipped, repeatedly, to build the deep blue that Kano cloth was traded for across the Sahara. Dyers still work them, though the number in operation has fallen sharply from hundreds to a few dozen as imported cloth and synthetic dye took the market. Visitors are shown the pit preparation, the dipping and the beating of the cloth to a sheen with wooden mallets, and dyed cloth is sold on site. It is among the oldest continuously operating dye works anywhere.

History

The pits are commonly traced back more than 500 years, to the time when Kano was a major commercial centre of the trans-Saharan trade, and dyed cloth from Kano was traded widely across northern Nigeria and beyond. They kept working through the colonial period and are still active (Wikipedia, Kofar Mata Dye Pits).

What you'll find

• The pit field - the circular clay-lined pits in the ground.
• Dipping - the cloth taken repeatedly into the indigo vats.
• Beating - the finished cloth pounded to a sheen with mallets.
• Cloth for sale - the dyed pieces sold at the works.

When to go

November to February for bearable heat. Weekday mornings are when the dyers are working; Fridays and holidays see less activity. The pits are in continuous use but not every one is active.

Before you go

The number of working pits has declined sharply and many stand empty. Guiding and photography charges are levied separately and negotiated. The site is small and takes an hour. Indigo stains clothing readily.

Nearby

The emir's palace and Kurmi market are in the same old city.

Key facts