Adaptation of Orlu Okorosha Festival Symbols as Motifs for Apparel Costumes of Cultural Identity

Abstract

The thrust of this paper is to design an innovative distinctive apparel costumes for cultural identity of Orlu Okorosha festival in Imo State using its symbols as motifs. The festival is characterized by the appearance of masquredes indifferent masks, dressed in foreign apparel costumes which never reflected their cultural symbols. However attention has not been given to documentation on fabrics by adapting okorosha symbols as motifs by previous studies. This exploratory study has created and designed innovative apparel costumes by using its relevant symbols as motifs to embellish fabrics for cultural identity of Okorosha festival. Sketches, compositons and designs illustrations were employed to transfer patterns on fabrics using various textile production techquies. Samples produced were analyzed using contextual descrriptive approach and taken to field trips for the end users to choose and model. The resultant selected apparel designs emerged better with desirable characteristics than the foriegn blankets and georges being replaced. The findings indicate that Orlu people accepted and agreed to mass production of these apparel costumes that is intended to give them a unique identitywhich they have been craving for. The study recommends among others that textile designers should revisit the use of indegenious symbols as motifs in the embellishment of textilefabrics meant for cultural events to promote identities and tourisim.