The Ahia-Akwete Multi-Heddle Cloth Weaving Production of Akwete People in Nigeria project seeks to document and preserve the endangered indigenous knowledge system underlying the production of Ahia-Akwete, the most technically sophisticated variant of the renowned Akwete textile tradition. Using ethnographic and practice-based research methods, the project will systematically record the construction of the multi-heddle vertical loom, the weaving techniques, oral histories, and the embodied skills of the remaining master weavers in Akwete, Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria. The project will produce a high-quality audiovisual archive to safeguard this unique African material knowledge system and make it accessible for research, education, and cultural heritage preservation through the Endangered Material Knowledge Programme (EMKP).
Project Goals
The project aims to:
- Document the complete lifecycle of the Ahia-Akwete multi-heddle weaving process, from loom construction to finished textile production.
- Record the mathematical and technical principles involved in heddle construction, pattern programming, and weaving techniques.
- Preserve the oral histories, cultural practices, and indigenous knowledge associated with Ahia-Akwete weaving.
- Develop a comprehensive open-access digital archive comprising high-definition video, photographs, interviews, and metadata for long-term preservation.
- Support future research, teaching, cultural revitalisation, and the continued transmission of the endangered Ahia-Akwete weaving tradition to future generations
PI: Chiaka Nnodi
Collaborators: Charles Okwuowulu; Chiemela Ogbonna; George Rosemary Chinyere
Research Location: Akwete Ndoki in Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State, Nigeria
Host Institution: Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo
Top Banner Image: Ahia Akwete weaver weaving Ahia Akwete cloth with multiple heddle weaving loom. Photo credit: Charles Okwuowulu, 2026.