Traditional Yoruba Adire Eleko with Indigo Workshop | Gasali Adeyemo | July 20th-24th 10am-4pm

Immerse yourself in the rich textile heritage of the Yoruba people through this five-day, hands-on exploration of Adire Eleko, a traditional resist-dyeing technique from southwestern Nigeria. Rooted in centuries-old practice, Adire (meaning “tie and dye”) is most famously associated with indigo-dyed cloth created by Yoruba women artisans.

In this intensive workshop, participants will learn the art of Adire Eleko, a paste-resist method traditionally made with cassava starch combined with natural indigo dyeing. Using hand-prepared cassava paste, you will design and apply intricate patterns directly onto cloth, then submerge your fabric into a living indigo vat to reveal striking contrasts of deep blue and white.

This unique workshop offers the rare opportunity to fully experience both paste-resist design and indigo dyeing together, honoring the spirit and process of traditional Yoruba textile artistry while developing your own contemporary expression.

Instructor Bio: 

Gasali Adeyemo is a Yoruba master artist whose practice preserves and evolves ancient indigo and resist-dye traditions rooted in Yoruba material culture. His work bridges ancestral knowledge, symbolic patterning, and deep engagement with the meaning of color and cloth as cultural text.

Trained in Nigeria and teaching internationally for decades, Gasali works in adire eleko, adire oniko, and hand-drawn batik techniques using natural indigo pigment. His textiles and teaching have been featured in cultural programs, museum contexts, and respected workshops across the United States and abroad.