A Study of Yoruba Traditional Weaving Patterns and Their Contemporary Adaptations in Textile Art in Oyo State

Traditional Yoruba weaving represents one of the most enduring expressions of material culture in South West Nigeria, and its ongoing adaptation by contemporary textile artists raises productive questions about cultural continuity and artistic innovation. This study examined Yoruba traditional weaving patterns and their contemporary adaptations in textile art practice in Oyo State, South West Nigeria. A descriptive qualitative design was adopted, combining field observations at four weaving centres in Iseyin, studio visits to six contemporary textile artists in Ibadan, and structured interviews with twelve master weavers and six textile art educators. Documentary analysis of archival weaving samples at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, supplemented primary data. Visual analysis of 40 traditional and 30 contemporary textile pieces was conducted using a pattern documentation matrix. Results revealed that geometric aso-oke motifs remain the dominant visual vocabulary in contemporary adaptations, but synthetic dye substitution, power-loom hybridisation, and fusion with digital printing techniques have significantly altered production authenticity. Contemporary practitioners identified economic pressure, tourism demand, and diasporic fashion markets as the primary drivers of adaptation. Elder weavers expressed concern about motif desacralisation when ceremonial patterns are applied to commercial fashion contexts. The study concludes that contemporary Yoruba textile art occupies a creative tension between preservation and reinvention. Recommendations include apprenticeship documentation programmes, community archive development, and design education partnerships linking polytechnic textile departments with traditional weaving communities in Oyo State.

Keywords: Yoruba weaving, textile art, aso-oke, cultural adaptation, Oyo State