CHAPTER 11: AN INVENTION OF ULI TYPEFACE FOR VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Uli, the heritage of the ancient Igbo people, which was a very popular form of art, served aesthetic and symbolic purposes. 
Uli drawing comprises of  raw lines of various types, shapes of various nature and also numerous witty and sharp images, representing everyday life of the Igbo, from farms, cooking pots, plants, birds, animals, the sun, moon and kola nut. The Uli design motifs and patterns however were drawn on various surfaces like the human body, mud walls, wooden surfaces, textile, among others. Apart from beauty, Uli served symbolic purposes in the ancient Igbo. Utoh-Ezeajugh (2006) opines:  
The fact that then design practices play important roles in a wide range of ceremonies dealing with rites of passage, healing, war, agriculture and many others, is an indication of the enormous potentials abounding in African body design traditions. (45) 
Every line, shape and object of Uli motif drawn on surfaces has significance, relating to real life situations. These designs either suggests case joyous moments or mournful events. It could be marriage ceremony, child birth and naming, manhood initiation ceremony, burial of great warriors and gallant men, among others. 
Udemezue (2005) This has gone a long way to project Uli motif as symbolic design that is suitable for passing on messages on on-going events. The drawing and printing of Uli motif were prominent among women and girls of the olden days. They saw it as their duty to make decorations and drawing, where and when necessary.  Uli Art was able to excel because of the level of interest women of those days had in it. Peck (2002), speaking on the role of women in Uli motif drawing hinted that “Traditionally, the women of the Ibo people of Nigeria painted their bodies with patterns.  They used dyes made from the seeds of Uli plants that temporarily stained the skin black.” Women were great promoters of Uli art since it served them daily purpose, ranging from social, religious and cultural matters. The materials used for Uli motif design were natural extracts from plants. This made the materials readily available. Speaking on the materials used in for Uli application Udemezue (2005) made it known that: 
“Originally the term Uli was the Igbo name for Indigo dye, which is extracted from different types of   plants with Botanical names like Rothmania Cuspica and Rothmania Ucelli. In Igbo language they  are called Uli Oba, Uli Edeji and Uli Okolobo.” To buttress this point, Utoh-Ezajugh (2006: 65) reiterates that: 
Uli design is made from liquids extracted from seeds embedded in fleshy pulp in pods of some species of Uli plants, or the fruits from species of the Uli plant. These  species are known by different names in different communities of Igbo land, but their function are basically the same. 
These go a long way to explain how available the sources of Uli were. Uli plants grew in the compounds of every family and this made it very easy for the women to have access to necessary pigments for Uli drawing. 
When the European explorers, as well as missionaries came to Nigeria with their culture and religion, the new religion, culture and lifestyle were adopted. Many women that were into Uli design were converted to Christians, and were tricked into believing that Uli was fetish, to that, they let go of it. Since there was no written tradition on Uli, it waned. Udemezue (2005) declares that “…The Christian women were forbade by their Priests from getting involved in the traditional   art which now bears the label of being part of Idol worship.” The British colonialists worsened the situation with their coming, because their new lifestyle and religion took the attention of vast majority of the women away from their precious Heritage. Many people were brainwashed by these strangers into believing that Uli art is Devilish while the young men and women of today, instead of reinventing Uli, imbibe the western Tattoo. It spreads like wild fire amongst the young men and women. In present times, women and girls are addicted to fashion and taste for modernism. Unlike in the olden days when Women were in the frontiers of Uli design. 
Udemezue (2005) speaking in view of this, hints thus: 
Among the present crop of young women and girls in Igbo communities the art is regarded as occultic, satanic and Pagan tradition. They associate this art with the shrine and shrine priests. This is sad indeed as this was not so in the past. It is disheartening that the young girls and women of today abandoned our heritage, beauty and aesthetics for another people’s value, instead of harnessing our heritage to a new dimension.