Theatre and the Promotion of Indigenous Textile in Digital Era: Examining Cloth Weaving in Kogi State

Abstract

The indigenous textile industry has, these last decades, phenomenally exploded to perform overlapping mediating functions including body adornment and indicators of socio-economic values. Despite these potentials to serve socio-economic empowerment, this craft is gradually and indirectly going into extinction in Kogi state. The cultural policy for Nigeria directs states and arts organisations to promote indigenous textile practices to the highest global ranking. However, implementation wise, practice has often fallen below precepts especially in a digital era. This study interrogates how the theatrical discipline can be used as a promotional tool for the development of indigenous textile industry in Kogi State in a digital era. In the process, the study relied on the development media theory for its analysis. The study also relied on personal interview and focus group discussion to gather data. Data collected from these sources were analysed and presented using the textual format. The findings revealed that the periodic mounting of theatrical performances in halls and found spaces in the multicultural communities by private and public theatre organisations through digital means can be effective towards promotion of industrial textile industry in Kogi State. Thereafter, the study recommends that the theatre organisations and it practitioners should periodically mount theatrical performances through digital means in communities towards the promotion of indigenous textile practices in the state.