Haiti · Sacred sequin and beadwork textile art
Drapo Vodou
The hand-sewing of sequins, beads, and appliqué onto fabric to create drapo — ceremonial flags used in Haitian Vodou to honor specific lwa (spirits), traditionally carried at the opening of ceremonies and displayed in the ounfò (temple). Modern drapo, a style dating to 1940 when flag-maker Joseph Fortine adapted sequin techniques he observed on Afro-Brazilian samba costumes, can require between 15,000 and 40,000 individually sewn sequins to fully cover the background fabric. Most drapo makers are Vodou initiates, and flag-making workshops frequently double as Vodou temples; the craft has, over the past half-century, also become a significant international fine-art form collected by major museums and galleries.
Risk level: Vulnerable · Not Applicable — no UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage inscription exists specifically for this craft at time of writing
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