African textiles, costumes from Hahn collection at Hillestad Gallery

            Textiles and clothing are among a culture's most important artifacts, providing clues to its humanity, social structures and ceremonial practices. Natalie Hahn's collection provides evidence of these aspects of civilization in several African countries between the years 1977 and 2007.

            Selections from Hahn's collection will be on display through Sept. 20 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Robert Hillestad Textiles Gallery din an exhibition titled "For the Body, for the Soul: African Textiles and Costumes from the Natalie Hahn Collection."

            The gallery is on the second floor of the Home Economics Building on East Campus, on 35th Street north of East Campus Loop. Hours are 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and by appointment. Guest parking is available near the building and metered stalls are located in the Nebraska East Union lot. Admission is free. For more information, call 402-472-6370 or go to http://textilegallery.unl.edu.

            These artifacts, including sculpture and baskets, were collected by Hahn, an alumna of the UNL College of Education and Human Sciences, during the years when she worked with people throughout Africa under the aegis of several organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the United Nations.

            A native of Polk, Hahn has distinguished herself as an international home economist by enhancing the lives of people in more than 33 states in Africa, in countries as distinct and diverse as Nigeria, Ethiopia and Malawi. Working as colleague and mentor she was revered by the people of these communities who honored her with gifts of appreciation, many in the form of textiles and ceremonial dress. She was the first white woman to be named a chief of the Yoruba tribe in 1987 for her groundbreaking work in introducing soybeans as a food crop to the women of Nigeria.

            Her work and travels allowed her to pursue her love of people and textiles by acquiring items from local artisans and craftpersons in such locations as Ghana, Senegal and Benin.  

            In efforts to continue international work, Hahn founded the Malaika Foundation, dedicated to global education in Nebraska's K-12 schools and in the state's universities. A gala event will be held on Sept. 27 at Quilt House, 1523 N. 33rd St., where a selection of items in this exhibition and others will be auctioned to raise scholarship funds that will help underwrite international educational experiences for students in the College of Education and Human Sciences. Tickets may be purchased on the UNL Marketplace:   http://marketplace.unl.edu/tmfd/gala-celebration.

            The Hillestad Gallery is part of the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design in the UNL College of Education and Human Sciences.