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Akauku · Grassfields Tee No. 01

Grassfields

Akauku · Grassfields Tee No. 01

from £34.90

In 1896, a king of the Grassfields dreamed that he had to write. Ibrahim Njoya then invented a script for his people, refined version after version, from nearly five hundred pictograms to the eighty-sign syllabary of 1910. It bears the name of its first four signs: a, ka, u, ku. The Akauku emblem carries those four signs, exact and in their modern form, in an embroidery-style print medallion on a deep black tee: a tall indigo cartouche edged in fine gold, the signs in ivory, set in a column like a coat of arms (the script itself runs from left to right). An African script born in a dream and perfected like a science. Dreamed one night, written forever.

Choose your size
Size guide

Between two sizes, take the larger one: the cut is meant to fall loose. Measurements are on the chest, flat, in centimetres then inches.

Size Half chest Body length
S 49.5 69
M 53.5 73
L 56.5 75
XL 59.5 77
2XL 63.5 79
3XL 67.5 81

Where it is made United Kingdom and Europe: printed by Gelato, in the facility closest to your address.
United States: printed by Printify, with certified partners on American soil.
Delivery Delivery in 5 to 10 working days in the United Kingdom and Europe, 7 to 12 in the United States, 10 to 20 elsewhere. Two to four days of that are the making, because nothing is stocked.
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The story of the design

What it means

The Bamum script was born in Foumban, in the Cameroon Grassfields. From 1896, after a dream, King Ibrahim Njoya and his court refined it version after version until the mature syllabary known as a-ka-u-ku, about eighty signs in use by 1910, taught in the schools of the kingdom and used for chronicles, letters and records. The four signs of this emblem are the first four of the script, the ones that give it its name, shown in their modern form; on the emblem they stand in a vertical column, a heraldic composition, while the script itself is written horizontally, from left to right. Around the medallion runs the tiger-teeth band of the toghu, the border that has spoken for Cameroon as a whole since the London 2012 opening ceremony: the signature of this collection.

After the textile and royal traditions of the Cameroon Grassfields: Bitoh et al., Art and Design Review, 2023 (toghu symbols); The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Michael Backman Ltd (ndop technique); Wikipedia “Bamum script”, Yale University Library and African History Extra (the Bamum script, 1896 to 1910); Open Restitution Africa (the return of Ngonnso, announced 27 June 2022); Voix des Jeunes (toghu, ndop, Bamenda).

Part of Collection 03 · Grassfields · The Signature. Emblem No. 01. Dikenga opened the house, the Manden gave it its law, the Grassfields give it its signature.

Fabric & Fit

Stanley/Stella Creator 2.0, 100% organic combed ring-spun cotton (GOTS-certified fabric), 180 gsm single jersey, fabric washed. Colour: Black. Medium fit, true to size.

Shipping & Returns

Printed to order in the UK · dispatched in 2 to 5 working days · UK delivery 3 to 7 days. 30-day returns. Wash inside out, do not iron the print.

In the same collection

See the collection
Made near you by Gelato and Printify. 5 to 10 working days in the United Kingdom and Europe Cards handled by Stripe. We never see your card number.