Nigeria is known for its culture: the events, food, and of course, the fashion! During weddings and other occasions, self-expression and creativity shine through in the ways Nigerians make fashion out of things that are both old and new. Have you ever wondered about the roots of most of the outfits we see today?
We all know fashion is one of the most popular things about Nigeria. It's one of the reasons we have a fashion collection!
Traditional Attire Across Nigeria
Nigeria boasts a diverse range of traditional clothing styles, each unique to its ethnic group. Here's a glimpse into some of the most iconic:
Northern Nigerian Fashion
Popular for its elegance, Northern Nigerian fashion consists of a lot of layering. The kaftan worn by the men is usually accompanied by a loose baban riga over it. For women, an ankara blouse and skirt or dress is usually accompanied by a complementing veil. The intricacy of the material depends on the occasion, with heavier, more detailed fabrics being used for big occasions and simple materials for daily life. Long, loose gowns known as abayas are usually for casual settings, although they can be dressed up too. Fashion from this part of the country is always evolving and finding new ways to use its staples.
Yoruba Fashion
It is well-known for clothes like agbada, gele, iro and buba, and fabrics like aso oke and adire. Worn by women, the iro and buba is a wrapper with a loose blouse usually worn with the gele on the head. The agbada is a loose robe (similar to the baban riga) worn by men over a matching inner set of a shirt and trousers.
Read also: Enduring Legacy: African Dress
Fieldnotes: My project taught a hand sewing tutorial on how to make Buba blouse- a traditional Yoruba blouse of Southwestern Nigeria. The attire is traditionally made from dyed fabric called Adire and woven fabric called Aso-Oke, but the fabric type has been extended to include lace and cotton fabrics, among many others. In formal fashion, Iro and Buba are worn for occasions like weddings and naming ceremonies. It is the go-to traditional attire for women of all ages and status. Iro and Buba can be casually worn as an everyday attire using simple fabric such as African print fabric which I used in the video. The choice to use African print fabric was because it has become a symbol of African, particularly West African clothing.
Even as I shared a bit of personal background and cultural information in the video, I wanted to create an interactive activity through hand sewing. It fosters learning and creates a fun activity for people.
From The Artist/Community : I am a folklorist and cultural enthusiast from northeastern Nigeria. My passion is to promote African culture through the craft of clothes making, and to increase its wearability across people of diverse backgrounds. I get my inspiration from my African heritage and my love for it. My passion began as a young child watching my mother make dyed textiles. The colors were vibrant, and the patterns were unique.
The purpose of my project is to open the participants ‘minds to learn something new about hand sewing and cultural information. The project had the power to foster unity because people are willing to take away from what is not typically theirs and make it a part of themselves. People who have sewn the Buba blouse will wear it and tell the story as well.
How to Tie Sego Gele for Beginners| Easy & Classy Headwrap Tutorial ( Step by Step)
Igbo Traditional Attire
Did you know that the Igbo traditional attire is called Isiagu? Isi-Agu, which literally means lion’s head in Igbo, is a pullover shirt made with fabric that has lion heads printed on it. Women wear form-fitting clothes in either isiagu or ankara that accentuate their figures through countless styles. A popular fashion accessory is called the nza, or horsetail, and most people now use it in weddings, funerals, and dances. Bonus! Coral beads!
Read also: Clothing in Ancient Egypt
Edo Fashion
The Edo people are known for making fashion out of coral jewelry, which can be in any form, from elaborate headpieces to ankle pieces.
Tiv Fashion
When it comes to fashion, the Tiv are known for their A'nger, a black and white striped material. It is a woven cloth that is then dyed and packaged for sale. The classic black and white clothing represent peace and simplicity.
Fulani Fashion
Traditional Fulani fashion centers around the Mudukare, a mix of red, blue, and green embroidery, woven into white fabric. Mudukare for women looks like a sleeveless half-top worn over a wrapper while men wear a long, sleeveless shirt with a pair of medium-length shorts.
Wrapper and Pagne
Men and women alike tie long wrappers made of George cloth, a great, fashionable material from India where it is used to make saris! With this wrapper, men typically wear long, white, cotton shirts and accessorize with wide-brimmed hats and walking sticks.
The wrapper, lappa, or pagne is a colorful garment widely worn in West Africa by both men and women. It has formal and informal versions and varies from simple draped clothing to fully tailored ensembles.
Read also: Fashion History & African American Women
In Nigeria and other parts of Yorubaland, the wrapper is commonly called an iro in Yoruba, pronounced i-roh. The literal translation is "the act of wrapping." The wrapper is usually worn with a matching headscarf or head tie that is called a gele in Yoruba, pronounced geh-leh. A full wrapper ensemble consists of three garments, a blouse, called a buba, pronounced boo-bah, the iro and a headscarf called a head tie called gele in Yoruba.
The Story Behind Ankara
During my NYSC in Ogun State, wearing Ankara on all the days of the week was the norm. On the days I wore jeans and t-shirts or single-coloured gowns, I was the odd one out. In the town I lived in, the afternoon sky was often vivid blue and the sparse houses and domineering trees was a fitting backdrop for the bright fabrics that the people wore.
I have always been drawn to colour and owning Ankara fabric satisfies that yearn in me. Even though I like black and white pictures, I feel a certain discontent when the vibrancy of Ankara fabric is dulled using that effect. Also, the various colours and patterns of these fabrics remind me of the beauty and intricacy that human beings are capable of. And with the things I find beautiful and intricate, I am eager to learn their origin.
During my research, I was surprised to find that the Batik method of creating wax prints is of Indonesian origin.
The word ‘Batik’ originated from (the) Javanese word “amba” which means writing and “titik” which means (dot). Initially, Batik was made on the calico, using liquid wax in a canting (small dipper used to apply wax in Batik process)…Batik patterns also have meaning and symbolize something. There are numerous (types) of Batik in Indonesia, such as Batik Solo, Batik Pekalongan, Batik Cirebon, Batik Banyumas, Batik Bali, and many more…
As I researched, I learned that there are certain aspects of Indonesian fashion that is closely mirrored in African fashion. For instance, they have their version of Akwete which is called Ulos and Adire which is called Sasirangan.
Also, the earliest history of Batik dates back to 4th century BC Egypt where it was used in the mummification process (if you look back far enough, everything started in Africa lol.) Till date though, it is most highly developed in Java, Indonesia.
Before Dutch colonisation of Indonesia, Batik was primarily made and sold in Indonesia and other parts of Asia. Seeing its worth, they began working on a machine that could duplicate the effect of Batik. They hoped their version would outsell the Indonesian Batik in the Indonesian market and after producing some resin-coated Batik fabrics, they tried to sell them in the Indonesian market. It failed to garner the desired sales because it did not match up to the real Batik in quality or have the distinguishing wax smell that the Indonesian Batik fabrics had.
By 1880, Dutch and Scottish traders began introducing the fabrics to the ports in West Africa and here, they found success. Research suggests that this success might have in part, been due to the fashion taste of the “Black Dutchmen” - a group of West African Dutch soldiers called Belanda Hitam in Indonesia who served between 1831 and 1872 in the Dutch colonising army of Indonesia and later retired to Elmina, modern-day Ghana.
Some of the fabrics were given different names based on their patterns and those names still hold till today. Two popular ones are Kri-Kri star (tiny stars) and Mkpuru Oka (corn seeds). These fabrics are worn by different cultural and religious sects in West Africa and seeing a group of people in a certain fabric connotes that an event or gathering might be taking place. For the Catholic Women Organisation in some parts of Igbo land, the Mkpuru Oka Abada fabric or the CWO uniform (also made of customized Ankara fabric) is worn to attend wakes and a member may be fined if she fails to wear hers to such a gathering.
This uniformity in dressing has also become a cultural staple amongst many tribes in Nigeria and West Africa. In many Yoruba weddings, burial ceremonies, birthday celebrations and so on, Asoebi - which is usually an Ankara print fabric, is worn to commemorate and show unity at these events.
Till date, the highest grade of wax prints (Vlisco) being sold in Africa is of Dutch origin. The popular and affordable Hi-target is of Chinese origin. There are a few African brands such as DaViva in Nigeria and Sotiba Simpafric in Dakar, Senegal that sell quality fabrics.
In all my research, I could not find the exact reason why it is called Ankara. I did see though, that Ankara is the name of the method used in the making of the materials in some parts of Africa.
The only other Ankara I found is the capital of Turkey and researching this place showed no connection to the fabric. If you know why it is called Ankara and you are willing, please share this information in the comments below.
Fabrics and Their Significance
Here is a table summarizing some popular Nigerian fabrics and their significance:
| Fabric | Description | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Aso-Oke | Hand-woven cloth | Cultural heritage, social status |
| Adire | Indigo tie-dye fabric | Ritual and ceremonial purposes, symbol of resistance |
| George Cloth | Luxurious silk or silk-blend | Elegance, cultural pride, wealth |
| Ankara | African wax print fabric | Symbol of African clothing, unity |
| Akwete | Hand-woven using traditional looms | Indigenous Igbo weaving artistry |
Conclusion
Nigerian fashion is more than just clothing; it's a vibrant expression of culture, history, and identity. From the intricate designs of Aso-Oke to the colorful patterns of Ankara, each garment tells a story. Understanding and appreciating these traditions allows us to celebrate the richness and diversity of Nigerian heritage.
