“Fractals are characterized by repetition of similar patterns at ever diminishing scales.”
By now most of us know that fractals are found throughout nature. Ferns, trees, and snowflakes are fractals, as well as lungs, branching river basins, and storm turbulence patterns. But who knew that traditional African culture uses fractals in village layouts, architecture, textile design, and divination methods?
That’s the topic of Ron Eglash’s book, African Fractals, Modern Computing and Indigenous Design. An ethno-mathematician, Eglash spent a year studying fractals in Africa after looking at an aerial photograph of a traditional settlement and noticing that it was laid out in a fractal.
What he discovered was a broad, sophisticated, and conscious use of fractal mathematics in many sectors of African life. Often the use of fractals extended beyond design, with social or religious concepts embedded in the complicated layouts.
For instance, in the palace depicted above, as one walks in toward the Chief’s chambers, increasing amounts of politeness are expected and signaled by the tightening spiral. In another exampled cited by Eglash, as young children in one village age, they are taught geometric patterns with increasing complexity, while simultaneously being taught the village’s myths (also incrementally).
The use of sophisticated algorithms is not “merely intuitive”, or simply good design, Eglash explains, but a very deliberate use of self-similar structures. The divination method employed by the Bamana people (by making strike marks in the sand) provided the mathematical basis for the binary code, which leads to Eglash’s assertion that every digital circuit in the world is based on African mathematics.
African patterning style is NOT a design practice found generally among indigenous cultures, as many think upon learning about this (and let’s be clear, to be so VERY shocked that a high level of mathematics is routinely, elegantly, and ritually employed by many African societies is plainly racist). Native American design, by contrast, plays with circular and four-fold symmetry.
On Eglash’s website, there are free applets that run in the browser where you can play with iterations of simple lines and watch their ever increasing complexity. What might be of interest to a quilter is how much the demonstration of the rectangular shape (representative of some traditional African settlements) looks like a log cabin quilt being made.
What traditional quilting patterns are fractals? Changes in scale are required, as well as repetition, otherwise, MOST traditional quilts would be fractals. Are the patterns created by tie-dye and some shibori methods fractals? My guess is some are, yes. Celtic knots are fractals. The ferns emerging from the felt house are, and here they are nearly forming a heart as well.
Well, lest I’ve overly impressed you with my ability to restate ideas from a 16 minute-lecture (2007 TED Eglash), let me end by saying it’s time to go watch American Idol —
which is to say, the show has been taping for at least 25 minutes, allowing me to skip 20 out of 21 words that Ryan Seacrest utters (some nights? it takes me 10 minutes to watch the show).
(And, BTW, I’m rooting for Crystal Bowersox or Lee Dewyze).
Quotes and images from Ron Eglash used with his permission.
I love that piece of Moroccan textile! stunning work and colours.
The blanket below is beautiful too…..
I’ve made a note of the designs, and may incorporate them in some pieces later 🙂
Hi Chris, I should have included a link to your site, and after I get back from an appt this morning, I’ll find a place for it, b/c I thought of you while writing this and looked at some of your beautiful ethnically-inspired embroideries while writing. I’ve asked for permission to show some pix from a book called “African Textiles” by John Gillow — do you know it? — it is chock full of gorgeous photographs.
Fascinating and gorgeous. I can’t wait to teach middle school math (one day) and introduce these types of integrated studies.
Hi Maggie… how are you? these textiles and quilts would make for great teaching… I’m finding more sites concerning math and fractals and quilts which I’ll be sharing.
great post, great design inspiration….
thanks jude… nice to send some inspiration YOUR way given how much comes to me from your blog!
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Love what you are exploring here…and I see that heart!
very cool and interesting! Im listening to the TED talk right now.
thanks!
Hi Deb and Susie… thanks for looking in. Susie — I’m going to get his book sometime soon… (Ron Eglash, that is)
i love fractals! did studies of them in college in the early 90’s and a silkscreen for a project–still have some of the fabric.
i’m still thrilled by the possibilities for learning and research on seemingly unrelated subjects–all grist for the textile mill :}
ugh fractals are so confusing
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