Awa MeitéDaoula
Daoula, Awa Meité. F. Koné, 2006
As the founder of the Daoula project, Meité is interested in drawing attention to all aspects of local cotton production, including the cotton growers, spinning wheel operators, artisans, dyers, embroiderers, tailors, and merchants. Mali is one of Africa’s largest cotton producers, yet less than 5% of the cotton grown here is processed locally. Meité intends to create a Daoula Internet portal to serve as an educational and documentation tool for stories about the economy and the sustainability of local cotton production. The portal will also serve as an interactive meeting space to promote artistic creativity and civic participation. [FDL]
Daoula, Awa Meité. F. Koné, 2006
Awa Meité is a filmmaker, painter, jeweller, stylist and designer working both in Bamako (Mali) and France. Inspired by a number of West African ethnic groups, Meité features local materials and practices in her artistic productions. Active in various African organizations, in 1998 Meité created the Routes du Sud association, which organized the 2004 UNESCO event Le Sud aide le Sud face au Sida. Since 2007, she has been the coordinator of the Daoula project, which encourages local cotton production and the exchange of ideas around Africa’s “white gold”.