Wrapper (Lamba Akotifahana)

1860–90

Madagascar, Merina Kingdom

Medium

silk (Bombyx mori and Borocera cajani)

Measurements

Overall: 231 x 157 cm (90 15/16 x 61 13/16 in.)

Credit Line

Sundry Art - African Art Fund and Textile Fund 2025.271

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

A shining lamba like this was wrapped around the shoulders over tailored clothing like a suit or dress.

Description

A lamba is an untailored textile worn by all ages, classes, and genders across much of Madagascar. Woven from shining Bombyx mori silk, the lamba akotifahana takes its name from the weft-float motifs (akotifahana) that adorn it. Once the color of commoners and the enslaved, when Christianity became the state religion in 1869, elite churchgoers preferred white silk lambas. The rows of knotted fringe reflect Malagasy taste for Chinese-made “Manila shawls.”