Baba rini- indigo dye, Nigeria, Hausa att. July 27, 1972. 5-11777, acc no. 2879, file code 8.3. Collector: T. Lanagan. Donor: W. H. Lawson. Materials, techniques: cones of indigo dye formed by boiling leaves with ash in water, til precipitate; sediment is mixed with gum to enable formation into cones Context of use: used as dyeing substance throughout West Africa dried dye heated in water with alkali substances, turns green-yellow for dyeing; after drying on the textile, oxidation causes a reconversion to the deep blue color Description: Indigo cones; prepared from leaves of the plant genus Indigofera; the leaves are boiled, mixed with ash, and precipitated to the bottom of the boiled solution; addition of gum permits formation into cones; used for dyeing; deep blu with ashy exterior surface; 14.3 cm. l.; 4 cm. w.; 15.8 cm. l.; 4 cm. w.; 12.3 cm. l.; 4 cm. w.; References: see J.M. Dalziel, Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa, London 1937, pp 243-244