Myth and Meaning and the Tukolor Loom

Most previous studies of loom technology have either focused on the classification of loom types or on their origins. By contrast, this article investigates the indigenous meanings and significance of the structure of the loom used by Tukolor weavers of Senegal. Resisting changes to its structure, the weavers hold conceptions of the loom as a personal and ritual space, and it is shown how these concepts of the loom and its associated rituals embody aspects of a secret body of weavers' lore. Tukolor weavers conceive of the loom not merely as a technical device for producing cloth; it can also be considered to be a metaphor of their weaving ideology. This conception of the loom militates against any modification or change in it, since it embodies in its layout the essence of weaving lore.