Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases Jill Scott's 2001 R&B/Soul song "The Way".
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Jill Scott for her musical legacy. Thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Jill Scott - The Way
JillScottVEVO, Published on Sep 27, 2018
Music video by Jill Scott performing The Way. © 2007 Hidden Beach Records
****
LYRICS: THE WAY
(written by Jill Scott & Andre Harris)
[Verse 1]
Woke up this morning with a smile on my face
Jumped out of bed, took a shower, dressed, cleaned up my place
Made me some breakfast, toast, 2 scrambled eggs, grits
Grabbed my keys, grabbed my purse, grabbed my jacket off to work
Beaming all the way down 3rd
[Chorus]
Is it the way you love me baby?
Is it the way you love me baby? (Yeah)
[Verse 2]
Four thirty, can't wait to get home
Nah, girl I got something else to do
(Damn Jill, don't be frontin' on your girls for real)
Go 'head, really get your groove on
Cause tonight my man's coming through (Oh word?)yeah
We gonna have to connect some other time
As much as I like to shake my thing on the dance floor
I got another nasty, freaky just right way in mind
Tonight I'm gonna beat the high score
[Chorus]
Is it the way you love me baby? (Yeah)
Is it the way you love me baby? (Baby)
Is it the way you love me baby? (Is it, is it the way)
Is it the way you love me baby?
Source: https://genius.com/Jill-scott-the-way-lyrics
-snip-
Here's a definition for the African American Vernacular English word "frontin'":
From https://www.quora.com/What-does-frontin-mean-Where-did-it-come-from
Mary Jack, Native speaker of American English, Answered Sep 2, 2015
" "To front" means to put on airs, to put up a façade, to act fake or phony, or to misrepresent oneself, especially when one tries to act braver or tougher than one may truly be. It is the opposite of "keeping it real." "
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Translate
Thursday, February 14, 2019
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
An Adapted Version Of The Children's Singing Game "Gigalo" That Promotes Children Reading
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents an example of the children's singing game "Jigalow" ("Gigalo") wand documents an adapted version of the children's singing game "Jigalow" that promotes children reading.
The "Read Along" game was performed by a branch of the United States based international organization Lit World. Information about this organization is included in the Addendum below.
The content of this post is presented for educational, cultural, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owner.
Thanks to LitWorld for their educational and humanitarian activities. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/12/childrens-rhyme-gigalo-examples.html for a pancocojams post entitled "The Children's Rhyme "Gigalo" ("Jigalow") - Examples & Probable Sources" that was originally published on this blog in 2011.
****
VIDEO EXAMPLE OF THE SINGING GAME "GIGALO" ("JIGALOW")
playing gigalo at cheer camp
bby209angl, Published on Aug 3, 2010
this was my first time playing it was fun :)
-snip-
Here's an example of the singing game "Gigalo" that I collected from my daughter and her friends in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (the late 1980s).
All: Gig ah lo-o
Gig gig a lo-o
Gig ah lo-o
Gig gig a lo-o
Group: Hey, Kayla
Kayla: What?
Group: Are you ready to gig?
Kayla: Gig what?
Group: Gigalo
Kayla : My hands up high
My feet down low
And this is the way
I gig a lo
Group: Her hands up high
Her feet down low
And this is the way she gigalos
-T.M.P., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, mid to late 1980s.
****
LITWORLD'S ADAPTED VERSION OF "GIGALO" ENTITLED "READ ALONG"
LitWorld: A Global Force for Change
litworld, Published on May 16, 2016
-snip-
The "Read Along" chant begins at 1:02 -1:22
Group- Hey Kenya!
Soloist (Kenya) - What?
Group- Are you ready?
Soloist- For what?
Group-To read
Soloist- Read what?
Group- Read along
Soloist: [Well, my hands up high
My feet down low
And this is how we read along
[All other group members, with soloist still singing and moving]
Her hands up high
Her feet down low
And this is the way she reads along.
****
ADDENDUM: INFORMATION ABOUT LITWORLD
From http://www.litworld.org/story/
"LitWorld was founded in 2007 after Pam Allyn, literacy educator and author, visited Kibera, an area of extreme poverty in Nairobi, Kenya. There, she experienced the urgent desire children had to read, write and share their stories, and the barriers that stood in their way.
Literacy is not a gift given just to some lucky ones, it is a foundational human right that brings joy, economic independence, gender equity and a pathway out of poverty.
Inspired after her first visit to Kibera, Pam returned to New York and mobilized a group of friends and leaders to join her in building a new movement founded on this belief. They set out to create a community-based approach to programs and training that would lead to transformational literacy defined by dreams that can come true.
Over the next five years, LitWorld developed and launched the programs that stand today as the organization's core models: LitClubs, LitCamps, and World Read Aloud Day. The LitClub model of in-depth, out-of-school self-empowerment and literacy programming has allowed us to bring our innovative methods to communities across the world. LitCamp redefines summer learning through innovative, research-based reading and writing lessons with an engaging and interactive summer camp approach that reduces the “summer slide.” World Read Aloud Day calls global attention to the importance of reading aloud, sharing stories, and the idea of literacy as a human right by bringing communities together across the world to read aloud and change the world.
[...]
From around the world, children’s stories of learning, growth, and achievement pour in every day. From the girl in Kenya who is no longer afraid to raise her hand and speak up in school to the boy in India who now wants to grow up to help people to the young woman in New York City who is the first in her family to go to college: This is the LitWorld story."...
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post presents an example of the children's singing game "Jigalow" ("Gigalo") wand documents an adapted version of the children's singing game "Jigalow" that promotes children reading.
The "Read Along" game was performed by a branch of the United States based international organization Lit World. Information about this organization is included in the Addendum below.
The content of this post is presented for educational, cultural, and recreational purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owner.
Thanks to LitWorld for their educational and humanitarian activities. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/12/childrens-rhyme-gigalo-examples.html for a pancocojams post entitled "The Children's Rhyme "Gigalo" ("Jigalow") - Examples & Probable Sources" that was originally published on this blog in 2011.
****
VIDEO EXAMPLE OF THE SINGING GAME "GIGALO" ("JIGALOW")
playing gigalo at cheer camp
bby209angl, Published on Aug 3, 2010
this was my first time playing it was fun :)
-snip-
Here's an example of the singing game "Gigalo" that I collected from my daughter and her friends in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (the late 1980s).
All: Gig ah lo-o
Gig gig a lo-o
Gig ah lo-o
Gig gig a lo-o
Group: Hey, Kayla
Kayla: What?
Group: Are you ready to gig?
Kayla: Gig what?
Group: Gigalo
Kayla : My hands up high
My feet down low
And this is the way
I gig a lo
Group: Her hands up high
Her feet down low
And this is the way she gigalos
-T.M.P., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, mid to late 1980s.
****
LITWORLD'S ADAPTED VERSION OF "GIGALO" ENTITLED "READ ALONG"
LitWorld: A Global Force for Change
litworld, Published on May 16, 2016
-snip-
The "Read Along" chant begins at 1:02 -1:22
Group- Hey Kenya!
Soloist (Kenya) - What?
Group- Are you ready?
Soloist- For what?
Group-To read
Soloist- Read what?
Group- Read along
Soloist: [Well, my hands up high
My feet down low
And this is how we read along
[All other group members, with soloist still singing and moving]
Her hands up high
Her feet down low
And this is the way she reads along.
****
ADDENDUM: INFORMATION ABOUT LITWORLD
From http://www.litworld.org/story/
"LitWorld was founded in 2007 after Pam Allyn, literacy educator and author, visited Kibera, an area of extreme poverty in Nairobi, Kenya. There, she experienced the urgent desire children had to read, write and share their stories, and the barriers that stood in their way.
Literacy is not a gift given just to some lucky ones, it is a foundational human right that brings joy, economic independence, gender equity and a pathway out of poverty.
Inspired after her first visit to Kibera, Pam returned to New York and mobilized a group of friends and leaders to join her in building a new movement founded on this belief. They set out to create a community-based approach to programs and training that would lead to transformational literacy defined by dreams that can come true.
Over the next five years, LitWorld developed and launched the programs that stand today as the organization's core models: LitClubs, LitCamps, and World Read Aloud Day. The LitClub model of in-depth, out-of-school self-empowerment and literacy programming has allowed us to bring our innovative methods to communities across the world. LitCamp redefines summer learning through innovative, research-based reading and writing lessons with an engaging and interactive summer camp approach that reduces the “summer slide.” World Read Aloud Day calls global attention to the importance of reading aloud, sharing stories, and the idea of literacy as a human right by bringing communities together across the world to read aloud and change the world.
[...]
From around the world, children’s stories of learning, growth, and achievement pour in every day. From the girl in Kenya who is no longer afraid to raise her hand and speak up in school to the boy in India who now wants to grow up to help people to the young woman in New York City who is the first in her family to go to college: This is the LitWorld story."...
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
Various Opinions From A Vlog Discussion Thread About White People Wearing Dashikis
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post documents selected comments from a YouTube discussion thread for a vlog (video blog) post by The Dadhe entitled "Should White People Wear Dashikis?"
The discussion can be extended to include the efficacy of any non-Black person wearing what is considered African garb (clothing/head gear).
My response to this question is given in the "Pancocojams Editor's Comment" section below the selected comments from the vlog.
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to The Dadhe for this vlog post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-yoruba-nigeria-origin-of-dashiki.html for a closely related pancocojams post entitled "The Yoruba (Nigeria) Origin Of The Dashiki (information & videos)."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: CAN WHITE PEOPLE WEAR DASHIKIS? | BLACK PANTHER REVIEW|
The Dadhe, Published on Mar 12, 2018
[...]
-snip-
This pancocojams post focuses on the comments that The Dadhe made at 18:42 in this vlog: “What do you think about a white guy wearing a dashiki?”
****
SELECTED COMMENT FROM THIS VIDEO BLOG (VLOG)
These comments are given in relative chronological order based on their publishing date with the oldest comment given first (except for replies). Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.
1. Karen Love, 2018
"I think that people should wear whatever makes them happy as long as it is not done to mock the culture of another. For example: wearing a dashiki as a Halloween costume would be offensive. Wearing it to an African movie or during the movie craze is perfectly fine. It would be great if it were an authentic African attire, purchased from an African crafter.🙃"
**
2. Eunice Apia, 2018
"Why do White people want to wear Dashikis? Why not wear clothes of their own culture to represent? They are representing someone else culture by wearing them. Doesn't make sense to me."
**
REPLY
3. The Dadhe, 2018
"Really appreciate you taking the time to comment, defo see your point. I wear one for 2 reasons, firstly I think visually they are beautiful and secondly there's definitely a pride associated with my wfes background and I want our kids to grow up knowing both sides of their heritage. Be interested to hear what you think, thanks again"
-snip-
The vlog publisher is a White man whose wife is a Black West African.
**
REPLY
4. Karen Love, 2018
"Eunice Apia
Do you wear only African attire Eunice? If not, why would you not allow someone else the same freedom that you enjoy? People should be able to wear whatever makes them happy (as long as they are not indecently exposed) or attempting to mock another culture.
Cultures are now intertwined. Besides, it could mean more business for African crafters...hopefully people will buy their authentic African attire from African crafters.
Peace and love."
**
REPLY
5. Eunice Apia, 2018
"The Dadhe I am African and I live in America. For a long time I didn't have a problem with it because I felt it was a compliment to Africans. I no longer feel that way. I think appreciation goes further than putting on a fashion piece or attire.
I feel rather than wear our traditional garbs, treat ALL Blacks respectfully. That is better than throwing on an African outfit. It doesn't make sense that other races appreciate our art, food, and fashion when they can't appreciate Africans and Blacks on a whole. This is not directed to you personally but to every race that is not Black.
The reason why I mention, wearing your own traditional wear is because as much as I see Whites talk about pride in themselves as a whole, I don't see them running to their traditional or culture practices to share with world. It's always other cultures that they seek out, but not always in an honoring way. If Caucasian culture is great, why not be more open to share that with the world, rather than constantly trying to share and reinvent other races cultures? Reason why I single out Caucasian is because they are the only race that I can think of that persecute and deliberately attack other races besides their own on a global scale. They need to fix that mind set before Blacks( in America and maybe around world) can trust and feel comfortable sharing their culture without fear of it being stolen, abused or turn for profit.
Again this is not a personal attack. It's something that I've started wondering about. It didn't bother me till recently because I feel it's a trend or costume for most to fit in. I would love to see someone go watch Black Panther in a European traditional wear, but not because they are protesting movie, but celebrating while acknowledging their ancestors...not customing in someone else's.
I think only time it's acceptable is when it's a gift, your bride or groom is African and you wear during your wedding, you are literally in Africa on holiday or ask publically or privately an African FRIEND perimisson. It must be a friend, not stranger. Just my opinion. I can't dictate what people do or wear. I however will judge if it's being done to follow trends or fit in with a crowd.
Thank You for asking."
**
REPLY
6. gazelle20111, 2018
"Eunice Apia yet many Africans and non Caucasians wear their the White mans jeans, modern clothing, use their items of invention (TV, phones, steam power and engines, travel in their invented planes etc) and many other things. As a born and breed African I honestly would smile when I see others wearing any African item, I feel proud to see such. It shows they appreciate it; afterall you wouldn't wear what you don't like would you? I guess I am just speaking from the usual receptive and approachable way of an African."
**
REPLY
7. Karen Love, 2018
"Eunice Apia
I find that people of other cultures don’t mind sharing their cultural garb. Today is St. Patrick’s Day here in the USA. Everyone is welcome to be Irish today. Some cities pour green dye in their lakes, bars sell green beer and everyone is welcome to participate and profit too if they have something commemorative to sell."
**
REPLY
8. Eunice Apia, 2018
"gazelle20111 I don't have a problem if there is appreciation and not just trend or capitalising on something. People can say what they want about African Americans...but whether Africans want to claim them or not, they can't appropriate African culture. It's in their blood.
I find it cute when other races wear our wear once in the for brownie points or to be in the "know". Also most clothes are made in Asia so I consider them Asian clothes.
I'm sure you are aware that we wear these clothes because of colonization. When I was in Africa, before coming to America, they passed a law in my village in early 1980's that at least the man had to start wearing Western clothes. So if governments are forcing people to leave traditional for Western...what do you expect?"
**
9. Deborah McCray, 2018
"I am an American of African descent. I would have not problem with you wearing a dashiki."
**
10. rose millz, 2018
"yes ,it"s clothes ,you can wear whatever you want,clothes don"t discrimanate people do,a person is entitled to wear whatever they want!!!!!! Do you!!!!!!"
**
11. Debra Williams, 2018
"The fact that a person wants to wear it, I think it is great! I am African American and have sometimes wore them in the 1970s and wore them proudly. I will wear them and more attire again!"
**
12. Sharon Hensdiek, 2018
"Honestly, I wouldn’t think anything. Whoever said that Dashiki’s were only for blacks? Personally I don’t like them so I wouldn’t wear them. Greetings from Bermuda."
**
13. Laura Reynolds, 2018
"If I saw you walking down the street, wearing a dashiki, I would ask you...is your wife from Africa? Most African-Americans wear dashikis, for fashion's sake, not for cultural identity. Sad, really..."
**
REPLY
14. Ceelle2, 2018
"Laura Reynolds I am 61 so I remember when African Americans first started to wear dashiki's..it was absolutely for cultural identity and a political force...just as the afro hairdo was about African culture and the celebration of same...not just fashion. When I cut my very long hair (I am mixed race) I wore an afro. My brother's afro was so big it didn't all fit in his wedding picture. LOL Even today... women of color with natural hair...maybe a hair wrap or Kente cloth on....are making cultural and political statements. We know it by the stares we get in the broader society."
**
15. orobev, 2018
"I live in south east London. From time to time I see white people wearing Nigerian clothing and even backing babies!! As far as I am concerned its all good🎈..."
-snip-
“backin babies”- probably means “carrying a baby on your back (tied in a piece of cloth
**
16. Akimus S, 2018
"Can white people wear dashikis? Depends on their knowledge of the culture, their level of respect for the culture and their intentions for wearing it. I don't mind a spouse wearing a traditional clothing to pay homage to his/her other significance. If it's all well intendend, why not? I mean none other than God can qualify as our judge, so who cares. I say do as you please :) If I saw you wearing one walking down the street, I would probably smile at you and go on with my day. Simple as that. I wouldn't think of it twice, assuming someone wearing a dashiki probably knows and respect the culture. I don't think most africans would care either, knowing how africans generally are the most welcoming and accepting group of people."
-snip-
This comment is given as it was found in this discussion thread.
**
17. C Fitz, 2018
"You two are delightful...Haven’t seen the movie, but enjoyed your conversation, and will think of you when I do....As for white men/women wearing dashikis...I simply see it as part of one’s fashion preference....No disrespect/shade...actually it should be viewed as a compliment to African artistry and design....How about that?!..lol...Good vlog!
**
18. Dynasty dynasty, 2018
"I would had SAID ...check him out he looks so cool..in his dashiki....wear did he find that at....i've seen many white men in the USA wearing them on occasion....Joanne Dynasty dynasty USA queens NYC...Glad you guy's are BACK 😄😍❤❤❤❤❤"
**
19. Anayo Atuanya, 2018
"Cool, of course you can wear it. Yes it would make me smile. I am Nigerian 😃"
**
20. Isabella Dabrowska, 2018
"I was born in the Middle East. I have no issues seeing non middle eastern people visiting my birth country and dressing like locals. I live in the USA and have worn clothing here like everyone around me since I moved here. I am marrying a man from India and choose to wear salwar kameez when I am there. I am not trying to be Indian. I like that style of clothing, it's comfortable, and it helps me fit in. I don't know why people get annoyed when someone of another culture dresses like theirs. I take it as a compliment. In the USA all cultures come and dress like someone from the USA. I would hope no one here would take offense to that.
I'm glad I found your channel. You are a beautiful couple.
**
21. Lucille Eva, 2018
"See, I don't think that there is a problem with it AT ALL.
My Mum bought my boyfriend a Dashiki from Ghana (he's caucasian). However, he felt awkward wearing it at our Uni because he's under the impression that all the black people will feel like he is being a 'beg' (a londoner term LOL). But it would honestly be fine.
Consequently, he wears his when we're at home 😂"
**
22. feliceluvzya1, 2018
"I personally don't care what a person wears. However I find that white people have a terrible habit calling things that are traditionally black, unattractive, ugly, loud, and ghetto when it's on black people, but it becomes chic, stylish and fashion forward on a white person. They will even rename something as if they created it. Now that I have a problem with."
**
23. Melissa A, 2018
"culture appropriation is annoying, but i think most people are just confused on what it is. so for example when you’re going abroad and travelling to, ex. India, wearing traditional clothing is fine because you’re, in a way, exploring their culture and learning, however, to wear it as an everyday fashion, is inappropriate and downright disrespectful. it’s like if someone wore a bindi to make a fashion statement- it’s apart of someone’s culture, and considering the history of oppression (hate) these minorities faced ex. making fun of their culture, it’s ridiculous to wear that person’s culture because it’s trendy all of a sudden"
**
24. Yaa Akomah, 2018
"If I see you Josh walking down the streets in Dashikis I will think “you go man, spread the diversity love” 👌🏾👊🏽🤞🏾 word up!"
**
25. vycford3, 2018
"Don’t do it bruh! I think it’s cool, but the world is full of people who would consider it cultural appropriation without known you. Be safe and wise. And, you’re okay saying Wakanda forever for anyone who loves the movie. 🙅🏽♀️"
**
26. kocoalively78, 2018
"Wakanda Forever! Someone may try you if your sport Daishiki... like just walking down the street. But I did see that an interracial couple went to the movie, and he was black and dressed in the garb, and as his lady she was dressed in African garb as well. And I looked at the pics like.. Ok that's a thing. But hey if you do do it, pics or it didn't happen! #wakandaforever"
**
27. MyCamiel, 2018
"My boyfriend is white and he wears Dashikis....he wore one to see Black Panther too. And he has no shame about that. He felt very comfortable."
**
28. Mo n, 2018
"LOL at the title - I think as long as people are respectful of the culture, Dashiki's are fine. I'm respectful when I've work a kilt , a sari, or anything from another culture 😏"
**
29. jason rothfeld, 2018
"Good to know! I was hesitant to wear one because I didnt want to be culturally offensive."
**
REPLY
30. The Dadhe, 2018
"Hey bud thanks for getting in touch. I think it's still a matter of why you're wearing it and in which environment. I understand why it could cause offense and why some don't believe I could wear it, ultimately I think it comes down to your personal intentions, convictions and your circle."
**
31. marcela perez, 2019
"I’m Mexican (from Oaxaca) and we also have traditional garments. I’ve seen other cultures wear “our” garments. I feel extremely proud, of other ethnicities wear them. It’s like they’re shouting me out 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾"
**
REPLY
32. The Dadhe, 2019
"LOVE this comment! Couldn't agree more, how do we see progress when we can't embrace, engage and relate to each other's cultures! Welcome to the channel btw, how did you find us?"
**
REPLY
33. marcela perez, 2019
"The Dadhe The Dadhe aww thank you for replying! I work for a non profit and am we embrace diversity and celebrate culture. I was just curious about the views on other ethnicities wearing traditional garments and their views since we get gifted a lot of just different things for other cultures from co-workers. I just don’t want to look like I’m appropriating instead of celebrating and respecting it. It’s just difficult sometimes in the U.S.... There’s a lot of tension and it gets hard sometimes to see where the line is drawn."
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT
I'm an African American whose first introduction to African clothing and African inspired clothing was in 1967 through my involvement with the Black cultural nationalist organization The Committee For Unified Newark (in Newark, New Jersey which is close to New York, City).
In that organization dashikis were strictly considered a male's attire. Females either wore a top (which we called a "buba") and material wrapped as a skirt (which we called a "lapa"). Or women wore a long dress. For non-formal occasions, women usually would wear a tee shirt or a sweat shirt with the wrapped skirt. In the cold winter months we wore pants under our wrap around skirt.
A small number of women and men who were members of that group had "real" authentic African "garb" (a word which I think comes from "garments") which were usually bought from stores in Newark or New York City. We realized that our home made long dresses and the men's dashikis weren't really authentically African.
For the two years (from 1967-1969) that I was a member of that group, I believe that most members -including me- would have agreed with this comment by Ceelle2 (given above as #14):
..."I remember when African Americans first started to wear dashiki's..it was absolutely for cultural identity and a political force...just as the afro hairdo was about African culture and the celebration of same...not just fashion... Even today... women of color with natural hair...maybe a hair wrap or Kente cloth on....are making cultural and political statements."...
Up to around the 1990s I believed that dashikis and other African and African inspired clothing should only be worn by Black people, but I no longer hold that fundamentalist position. I now can definitely agree with the points that the vlog publisher The Dadhe who is in an interracial marriage made (given as comment #3 above) "I wear [a dashiki] for 2 reasons, firstly I think visually they are beautiful and secondly there's definitely a pride associated with my wfes background and I want our kids to grow up knowing both sides of their heritage."...
And I now believe that non-Black people may be expressing their appreciation of African culture when they wear African clothing. That said, I'm concerned that non-Black people wearing dashikis in appreciation of African culture, or as a fashion trend, or as a fashion statement have muddied or will muddy the cultural statement of Black people in the United States and elsewhere in the Diaspora's pride in and connection to our African heritage. And I admit that I still dislike the idea of non-Black women wearing African headwraps or non-Black people wearing kente cloth sashes or stoles.
I don't consider Black people in the Diaspora wearing African and African inspired clothing to be cultural appropriation. I don't usually wonder why a Black person wears these fashions. However, I admit that I'm still more likely to wonder why a non-Black person wears these fashions, even though I know that on a lot of levels, it's none of my business.
I'm still a work in progress on this subject.
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitors comments are welcome.
This pancocojams post documents selected comments from a YouTube discussion thread for a vlog (video blog) post by The Dadhe entitled "Should White People Wear Dashikis?"
The discussion can be extended to include the efficacy of any non-Black person wearing what is considered African garb (clothing/head gear).
My response to this question is given in the "Pancocojams Editor's Comment" section below the selected comments from the vlog.
The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to The Dadhe for this vlog post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-yoruba-nigeria-origin-of-dashiki.html for a closely related pancocojams post entitled "The Yoruba (Nigeria) Origin Of The Dashiki (information & videos)."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: CAN WHITE PEOPLE WEAR DASHIKIS? | BLACK PANTHER REVIEW|
The Dadhe, Published on Mar 12, 2018
[...]
-snip-
This pancocojams post focuses on the comments that The Dadhe made at 18:42 in this vlog: “What do you think about a white guy wearing a dashiki?”
****
SELECTED COMMENT FROM THIS VIDEO BLOG (VLOG)
These comments are given in relative chronological order based on their publishing date with the oldest comment given first (except for replies). Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.
1. Karen Love, 2018
"I think that people should wear whatever makes them happy as long as it is not done to mock the culture of another. For example: wearing a dashiki as a Halloween costume would be offensive. Wearing it to an African movie or during the movie craze is perfectly fine. It would be great if it were an authentic African attire, purchased from an African crafter.🙃"
**
2. Eunice Apia, 2018
"Why do White people want to wear Dashikis? Why not wear clothes of their own culture to represent? They are representing someone else culture by wearing them. Doesn't make sense to me."
**
REPLY
3. The Dadhe, 2018
"Really appreciate you taking the time to comment, defo see your point. I wear one for 2 reasons, firstly I think visually they are beautiful and secondly there's definitely a pride associated with my wfes background and I want our kids to grow up knowing both sides of their heritage. Be interested to hear what you think, thanks again"
-snip-
The vlog publisher is a White man whose wife is a Black West African.
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REPLY
4. Karen Love, 2018
"Eunice Apia
Do you wear only African attire Eunice? If not, why would you not allow someone else the same freedom that you enjoy? People should be able to wear whatever makes them happy (as long as they are not indecently exposed) or attempting to mock another culture.
Cultures are now intertwined. Besides, it could mean more business for African crafters...hopefully people will buy their authentic African attire from African crafters.
Peace and love."
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REPLY
5. Eunice Apia, 2018
"The Dadhe I am African and I live in America. For a long time I didn't have a problem with it because I felt it was a compliment to Africans. I no longer feel that way. I think appreciation goes further than putting on a fashion piece or attire.
I feel rather than wear our traditional garbs, treat ALL Blacks respectfully. That is better than throwing on an African outfit. It doesn't make sense that other races appreciate our art, food, and fashion when they can't appreciate Africans and Blacks on a whole. This is not directed to you personally but to every race that is not Black.
The reason why I mention, wearing your own traditional wear is because as much as I see Whites talk about pride in themselves as a whole, I don't see them running to their traditional or culture practices to share with world. It's always other cultures that they seek out, but not always in an honoring way. If Caucasian culture is great, why not be more open to share that with the world, rather than constantly trying to share and reinvent other races cultures? Reason why I single out Caucasian is because they are the only race that I can think of that persecute and deliberately attack other races besides their own on a global scale. They need to fix that mind set before Blacks( in America and maybe around world) can trust and feel comfortable sharing their culture without fear of it being stolen, abused or turn for profit.
Again this is not a personal attack. It's something that I've started wondering about. It didn't bother me till recently because I feel it's a trend or costume for most to fit in. I would love to see someone go watch Black Panther in a European traditional wear, but not because they are protesting movie, but celebrating while acknowledging their ancestors...not customing in someone else's.
I think only time it's acceptable is when it's a gift, your bride or groom is African and you wear during your wedding, you are literally in Africa on holiday or ask publically or privately an African FRIEND perimisson. It must be a friend, not stranger. Just my opinion. I can't dictate what people do or wear. I however will judge if it's being done to follow trends or fit in with a crowd.
Thank You for asking."
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REPLY
6. gazelle20111, 2018
"Eunice Apia yet many Africans and non Caucasians wear their the White mans jeans, modern clothing, use their items of invention (TV, phones, steam power and engines, travel in their invented planes etc) and many other things. As a born and breed African I honestly would smile when I see others wearing any African item, I feel proud to see such. It shows they appreciate it; afterall you wouldn't wear what you don't like would you? I guess I am just speaking from the usual receptive and approachable way of an African."
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REPLY
7. Karen Love, 2018
"Eunice Apia
I find that people of other cultures don’t mind sharing their cultural garb. Today is St. Patrick’s Day here in the USA. Everyone is welcome to be Irish today. Some cities pour green dye in their lakes, bars sell green beer and everyone is welcome to participate and profit too if they have something commemorative to sell."
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REPLY
8. Eunice Apia, 2018
"gazelle20111 I don't have a problem if there is appreciation and not just trend or capitalising on something. People can say what they want about African Americans...but whether Africans want to claim them or not, they can't appropriate African culture. It's in their blood.
I find it cute when other races wear our wear once in the for brownie points or to be in the "know". Also most clothes are made in Asia so I consider them Asian clothes.
I'm sure you are aware that we wear these clothes because of colonization. When I was in Africa, before coming to America, they passed a law in my village in early 1980's that at least the man had to start wearing Western clothes. So if governments are forcing people to leave traditional for Western...what do you expect?"
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9. Deborah McCray, 2018
"I am an American of African descent. I would have not problem with you wearing a dashiki."
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10. rose millz, 2018
"yes ,it"s clothes ,you can wear whatever you want,clothes don"t discrimanate people do,a person is entitled to wear whatever they want!!!!!! Do you!!!!!!"
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11. Debra Williams, 2018
"The fact that a person wants to wear it, I think it is great! I am African American and have sometimes wore them in the 1970s and wore them proudly. I will wear them and more attire again!"
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12. Sharon Hensdiek, 2018
"Honestly, I wouldn’t think anything. Whoever said that Dashiki’s were only for blacks? Personally I don’t like them so I wouldn’t wear them. Greetings from Bermuda."
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13. Laura Reynolds, 2018
"If I saw you walking down the street, wearing a dashiki, I would ask you...is your wife from Africa? Most African-Americans wear dashikis, for fashion's sake, not for cultural identity. Sad, really..."
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REPLY
14. Ceelle2, 2018
"Laura Reynolds I am 61 so I remember when African Americans first started to wear dashiki's..it was absolutely for cultural identity and a political force...just as the afro hairdo was about African culture and the celebration of same...not just fashion. When I cut my very long hair (I am mixed race) I wore an afro. My brother's afro was so big it didn't all fit in his wedding picture. LOL Even today... women of color with natural hair...maybe a hair wrap or Kente cloth on....are making cultural and political statements. We know it by the stares we get in the broader society."
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15. orobev, 2018
"I live in south east London. From time to time I see white people wearing Nigerian clothing and even backing babies!! As far as I am concerned its all good🎈..."
-snip-
“backin babies”- probably means “carrying a baby on your back (tied in a piece of cloth
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16. Akimus S, 2018
"Can white people wear dashikis? Depends on their knowledge of the culture, their level of respect for the culture and their intentions for wearing it. I don't mind a spouse wearing a traditional clothing to pay homage to his/her other significance. If it's all well intendend, why not? I mean none other than God can qualify as our judge, so who cares. I say do as you please :) If I saw you wearing one walking down the street, I would probably smile at you and go on with my day. Simple as that. I wouldn't think of it twice, assuming someone wearing a dashiki probably knows and respect the culture. I don't think most africans would care either, knowing how africans generally are the most welcoming and accepting group of people."
-snip-
This comment is given as it was found in this discussion thread.
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17. C Fitz, 2018
"You two are delightful...Haven’t seen the movie, but enjoyed your conversation, and will think of you when I do....As for white men/women wearing dashikis...I simply see it as part of one’s fashion preference....No disrespect/shade...actually it should be viewed as a compliment to African artistry and design....How about that?!..lol...Good vlog!
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18. Dynasty dynasty, 2018
"I would had SAID ...check him out he looks so cool..in his dashiki....wear did he find that at....i've seen many white men in the USA wearing them on occasion....Joanne Dynasty dynasty USA queens NYC...Glad you guy's are BACK 😄😍❤❤❤❤❤"
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19. Anayo Atuanya, 2018
"Cool, of course you can wear it. Yes it would make me smile. I am Nigerian 😃"
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20. Isabella Dabrowska, 2018
"I was born in the Middle East. I have no issues seeing non middle eastern people visiting my birth country and dressing like locals. I live in the USA and have worn clothing here like everyone around me since I moved here. I am marrying a man from India and choose to wear salwar kameez when I am there. I am not trying to be Indian. I like that style of clothing, it's comfortable, and it helps me fit in. I don't know why people get annoyed when someone of another culture dresses like theirs. I take it as a compliment. In the USA all cultures come and dress like someone from the USA. I would hope no one here would take offense to that.
I'm glad I found your channel. You are a beautiful couple.
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21. Lucille Eva, 2018
"See, I don't think that there is a problem with it AT ALL.
My Mum bought my boyfriend a Dashiki from Ghana (he's caucasian). However, he felt awkward wearing it at our Uni because he's under the impression that all the black people will feel like he is being a 'beg' (a londoner term LOL). But it would honestly be fine.
Consequently, he wears his when we're at home 😂"
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22. feliceluvzya1, 2018
"I personally don't care what a person wears. However I find that white people have a terrible habit calling things that are traditionally black, unattractive, ugly, loud, and ghetto when it's on black people, but it becomes chic, stylish and fashion forward on a white person. They will even rename something as if they created it. Now that I have a problem with."
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23. Melissa A, 2018
"culture appropriation is annoying, but i think most people are just confused on what it is. so for example when you’re going abroad and travelling to, ex. India, wearing traditional clothing is fine because you’re, in a way, exploring their culture and learning, however, to wear it as an everyday fashion, is inappropriate and downright disrespectful. it’s like if someone wore a bindi to make a fashion statement- it’s apart of someone’s culture, and considering the history of oppression (hate) these minorities faced ex. making fun of their culture, it’s ridiculous to wear that person’s culture because it’s trendy all of a sudden"
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24. Yaa Akomah, 2018
"If I see you Josh walking down the streets in Dashikis I will think “you go man, spread the diversity love” 👌🏾👊🏽🤞🏾 word up!"
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25. vycford3, 2018
"Don’t do it bruh! I think it’s cool, but the world is full of people who would consider it cultural appropriation without known you. Be safe and wise. And, you’re okay saying Wakanda forever for anyone who loves the movie. 🙅🏽♀️"
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26. kocoalively78, 2018
"Wakanda Forever! Someone may try you if your sport Daishiki... like just walking down the street. But I did see that an interracial couple went to the movie, and he was black and dressed in the garb, and as his lady she was dressed in African garb as well. And I looked at the pics like.. Ok that's a thing. But hey if you do do it, pics or it didn't happen! #wakandaforever"
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27. MyCamiel, 2018
"My boyfriend is white and he wears Dashikis....he wore one to see Black Panther too. And he has no shame about that. He felt very comfortable."
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28. Mo n, 2018
"LOL at the title - I think as long as people are respectful of the culture, Dashiki's are fine. I'm respectful when I've work a kilt , a sari, or anything from another culture 😏"
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29. jason rothfeld, 2018
"Good to know! I was hesitant to wear one because I didnt want to be culturally offensive."
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REPLY
30. The Dadhe, 2018
"Hey bud thanks for getting in touch. I think it's still a matter of why you're wearing it and in which environment. I understand why it could cause offense and why some don't believe I could wear it, ultimately I think it comes down to your personal intentions, convictions and your circle."
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31. marcela perez, 2019
"I’m Mexican (from Oaxaca) and we also have traditional garments. I’ve seen other cultures wear “our” garments. I feel extremely proud, of other ethnicities wear them. It’s like they’re shouting me out 🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾"
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REPLY
32. The Dadhe, 2019
"LOVE this comment! Couldn't agree more, how do we see progress when we can't embrace, engage and relate to each other's cultures! Welcome to the channel btw, how did you find us?"
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REPLY
33. marcela perez, 2019
"The Dadhe The Dadhe aww thank you for replying! I work for a non profit and am we embrace diversity and celebrate culture. I was just curious about the views on other ethnicities wearing traditional garments and their views since we get gifted a lot of just different things for other cultures from co-workers. I just don’t want to look like I’m appropriating instead of celebrating and respecting it. It’s just difficult sometimes in the U.S.... There’s a lot of tension and it gets hard sometimes to see where the line is drawn."
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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT
I'm an African American whose first introduction to African clothing and African inspired clothing was in 1967 through my involvement with the Black cultural nationalist organization The Committee For Unified Newark (in Newark, New Jersey which is close to New York, City).
In that organization dashikis were strictly considered a male's attire. Females either wore a top (which we called a "buba") and material wrapped as a skirt (which we called a "lapa"). Or women wore a long dress. For non-formal occasions, women usually would wear a tee shirt or a sweat shirt with the wrapped skirt. In the cold winter months we wore pants under our wrap around skirt.
A small number of women and men who were members of that group had "real" authentic African "garb" (a word which I think comes from "garments") which were usually bought from stores in Newark or New York City. We realized that our home made long dresses and the men's dashikis weren't really authentically African.
For the two years (from 1967-1969) that I was a member of that group, I believe that most members -including me- would have agreed with this comment by Ceelle2 (given above as #14):
..."I remember when African Americans first started to wear dashiki's..it was absolutely for cultural identity and a political force...just as the afro hairdo was about African culture and the celebration of same...not just fashion... Even today... women of color with natural hair...maybe a hair wrap or Kente cloth on....are making cultural and political statements."...
Up to around the 1990s I believed that dashikis and other African and African inspired clothing should only be worn by Black people, but I no longer hold that fundamentalist position. I now can definitely agree with the points that the vlog publisher The Dadhe who is in an interracial marriage made (given as comment #3 above) "I wear [a dashiki] for 2 reasons, firstly I think visually they are beautiful and secondly there's definitely a pride associated with my wfes background and I want our kids to grow up knowing both sides of their heritage."...
And I now believe that non-Black people may be expressing their appreciation of African culture when they wear African clothing. That said, I'm concerned that non-Black people wearing dashikis in appreciation of African culture, or as a fashion trend, or as a fashion statement have muddied or will muddy the cultural statement of Black people in the United States and elsewhere in the Diaspora's pride in and connection to our African heritage. And I admit that I still dislike the idea of non-Black women wearing African headwraps or non-Black people wearing kente cloth sashes or stoles.
I don't consider Black people in the Diaspora wearing African and African inspired clothing to be cultural appropriation. I don't usually wonder why a Black person wears these fashions. However, I admit that I'm still more likely to wonder why a non-Black person wears these fashions, even though I know that on a lot of levels, it's none of my business.
I'm still a work in progress on this subject.
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitors comments are welcome.
The Yoruba (Nigeria) Origin Of The Dashiki (information & videos)
Edited by Azizi Powell
This post provides information, comments, and video examples of the article of clothing that is called a "dashiki".
The content of this post is presented for cultural and informational purposes.
All content remains with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these featured videos.
-snip-
This post was originally published in Feb. 2012.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
A dashiki [dah-SHE-kee] is a shirt that was originally marketed only for males. Dashikis were "must have" articles of clothing for afro-centric African American males in the 1970s, as wearing a dashiki symbolized pride in one's African heritage.
The word "dashiki" is an American (African American) form of the Nigerian word "dansiki" (pronounced dahn-SHE-kee). According to Norma H. Wolff in her book Dashikis, "The Yoruba borrowed the word from the Hausa dan ciki (literally "underneath"), which refers to a short tunic worn by males under larger robes."
*This sentence is part of an excerpt found in the next section below.
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QUOTES ABOUT DANSIKIS AND OTHER WEST AFRICAN MALE ATTIRE
From http://angelasancartier.net/africa-sub-saharan-history-of-dress
"Africa, sub-Saharan: history of dress
Men’s trouser shapes vary considerably. Along with Western fashions found across the continent, indigenous fashions also abound. In Nigeria, Hausa men wear enormously large drawstring breeches with a “baba riga” over the top. Yoruba men wear both wide or narrow trousers, often as a three-piece outfit along with a robe (agbada) and shirt (dansiki). When the men’s ensemble is tailored from colorful, wax-printed cotton, the Yoruba outfit is interpreted as being informal. If made from damask, lace, eyelet, brocade, or the handwoven textile of nubby, native silk that the Yoruba call sanyan (produced by a different silk worm than the Asian one), the ensemble is considered formal."
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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boubou_(clothing)
"The Grand Boubou/Bubu is one of the names for a flowing wide sleeved robe worn by men in much of West Africa, and to a lesser extent in North Africa, related to the Dashiki suit. It is known by various names, depending on the ethnic group wearing them: Agbada (Yoruba, Dagomba), Babban Riga (Hausa), K'sa (Tuareg) Grand Boubou (in various Francophone West African countries) and the English term of Gown. The Senegalese Boubou, a variation on the Grand Boubou described below, is also known as the Senegalese kaftan. The female version worn in some communities is also known as a M'boubou or Kaftan....
The Grand boubou as a full formal attire consists of 3 pieces of clothing: a pair of tie-up trousers that narrow towards the ankles (known as a Sokoto pronounced "Shokoto" in Yoruba) and a long-sleeved shirt (known as a Dashiki in Yoruba*) and a wide, open-stitched sleeveless gown worn over these. They are generally of the same colour... the Grand boubou is now mostly made from cotton and synthetic cloths made to resemble silk."
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QUOTES ABOUT DASHIKIS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashiki:
"The dashiki found a market in America during the Black cultural and political struggles in the 1960s. A prototype was developed in 1967 by Jason Benning, Milton Clarke, Howard Davis, and William Smith. These young professionals formed a company called New Breed to produce dashikis. It was located in a 2-room clothing store at 147th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in the Harlem section of Manhattan. Articles on New Breed appeared in Ebony Magazine and the New York Times (4/20/69).
The dashiki was featured in the movies Uptight (1968), Putney Swope (1969), and the weekly television series Soul Train (1971). See also Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America, Track 14:28 (2010). Jim Brown, Wilt Chamberlain, Sammy Davis Jr., and Bill Russell were among the well-known Black athletes and entertainers who wore the dashiki on talk shows.
The term dashiki begins appearing in print at least as early as mid-1968: an article by Faith Berry in the New York Times Magazine includes it on July 7, 1968. Reporting on the 1967 Newark riots in the Amsterdam News on July 22, 1967, George Barner refers to a new African garment called a "danshiki." "Dashiki" first appeared in the Webster’s New World Dictionary, 1st College Edition 1970/72."
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UPDATE 1/23/2015
From http://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/clothing-types-styles/dashiki "Dashiki" By Norma H. Wolff
"A dashiki is a loose-fitting, pullover shirt usually sewn from colorful, African-inspired cotton prints or from solid color fabrics, often with patch pockets and embroidery at the neckline and cuffs. The dashiki appeared on the American fashion scene during the 1960s when embraced by the black pride and white counterculture movements. "Dashiki" is a loanword from the West African Yoruba term danshiki, which refers to a short, sleeveless tunic worn by men. The Yoruba borrowed the word from the Hausa dan ciki (literally "underneath"), which refers to a short tunic worn by males under larger robes....
Worn by increasing numbers of young white Americans attracted to the bright colors and ornate embroidery, the dashiki lost much of its black political identity and epitomized the larger scene of changing American society....
Throughout its history in American fashion, the dashiki has functioned as a significant, but sometimes ambiguous, identity marker. In its earliest manifestation, with the Afro hairstyle, headgear, and African beads, it was associated with black power, the "Black Is Beautiful" movement, and the development of Afrocentrism...
In the early days of the twenty-first century, the dashiki has retained meaning for the African American community and a historical marker of the 1960s counterculture. While seldom seen as street wear, the dashiki is worn at festive occasions such as Kwanzaa, the annual celebration to mark the unity of Americans of African descent and express pride in African heritage (Goss and Goss)."
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Italics added by me to highlight that sentence.
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UPDATE: 1/23/2015
From http://museumofuncutfunk.com/2009/08/02/dashiki-how-funky-is-that/
"The dashiki was introduced as a way to protest society’ s disrespect for Blacks. It was a symbol of affirmation, standing for “Black is Beautiful,” a return to African roots, and insistence on full rights in American society. Marion Berry, later to become mayor of Washington, D.C., was then one of the rebels leading the “Free DC Movement” to gain voting rights for the mostly Black residents of Washington. Sam Smith, editor of The Progressive Review, recalled that in those days the press would describe him as “dashiki-clad Negro militant Marion Barry.” The 1960s were the hippie era, too, and whites in the counterculture sometimes adopted the dashiki for its rebellious symbolism as well as its anti-mainstream fashion statement.
The militancy of the 1960s has faded, but the dashiki has not. It still serves as a symbol of Africanness within American culture, as in the celebration of Kwanzaa. It is also sometimes an ingredient of high fashion or just a colorful, comfortable shirt for all occasions"...
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That blog post includes a number of photographs of dashikis, including one that features a woman wearing that top. Among afro-centric African American women in the late 1960s and 1970s (including me), dashikis were considered a male only item of clothing and females who wore dashikis were looked upon with disdain because they didn't know or didn't adhere to that "fact".
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UPDATE: 8/6/2014
Click http://www.oyotunji.org/oba-oseijeman-bio.html for information about Oba Adefunmi.
That article indicates that Oba Adefunmi "Introduced the Danshiki and began small scale manufacture of African attire in the summer of 1960. Founded the Yoruba Academy for the academic study of Yoruba history, religion and language in 1961. Opened the Ujamaa Market in 1961 beginning a trend of African boutiques, which, like the Danshiki, spread throughout African American communities."
-end of quote-
His Royal Highness Oba Ofuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi was the founder and head of the Yoruba Temple in New York City, and was the founder and leader of the Yoruba Village of Oyotunji in Beaufort County South Carolina in 1970.
Also click http://www.pluralism.org/religion/afro-caribbean/oyotunji for information about Oyotunji Village.
While Oba Adefunmi certainly could have manufactured and sold shirts in his Ujamaa Market that later came to be known as "dashikis", I believe that that term wasn't used for those shirts until the late 1960s.
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EDITORIAL COMMENT: ADULT CLOTHING ATTIRE IN AN AFRO-CENTRIC ORGANIZATION (NEWARK, NEW JERSEY (LATE 1960S)
From 1967-1969 I was a member of the African cultural nationalist organization known as "The Committee For Unified Newark (CFUN). For a portion of that time, and afterwards, that organization was headed by poet, playwright, and community activist Amiri Baraka (formerly Le-Roi Jones). For some reason, "garb" was the general term that members of this cultural national organization called our garments - handmade or store bought - (particularly the female garments). Here are my recollections of the adult outer clothing attire (excluding fall/winter jackets & coats) that was worn by members of that organization:
Men:
Men wore regular clothing (store bouoght pants & shirts) most days. On special occassions, in the spring, summer, and early fall, men wore short sleeve (usually hand made) usually v necked dashikis. These dashikis were made of "so-called" African print, or were a solid (one) color. The men might accessorize their dashikis with a large Egyptian ankh necklace, or with a red, green, and black large beaded necklace.
In the colder months, for special occassions, men wore pants and long sleeve turtle necked sweaters under their dashikis. Few members of that organization owned a grand boubou or agbada. I however recall that Zayd, one of the male leaders of that organization wore an agbada on at least one occassion.
Men who were members of that organization rarely wore any African hats.
Women:
Tops: In the spring, summer, and early fall, women wore bubas (simply sewed tops with little or no designs), or one color t-shirts to match a color in their their skirts. In the later fall & winter, women wore long sleeve sweeters, including "turtle neck" sweaters as tops.
Skirts: Women wore about 2 1/2 inches of store bought fabric that we wrapped around and tied (with no belt or pins). The African term that we used for those wrap around skirts was or "lapas" (lah-pahs), a term that decades later I read was used for wrap around skirts in Liberia, West Africa. Although we knew the terms "bubas" and "gele", members of that African cultural organization didn't know the word "iro", the Yoruba Nigeria term for wrap around skirts.
That same material could be worn in some form of toga like dress, although that was rarely done. Women also wore handmade or store bought long skirts, handmade (sewing machine) or store bought long dresses, usually in a caftan style. Most of these skirts/dresses (wrapped or sewn) were near ankle length, but some were more "midi" length (ignificantly below the knees). (Recall that in the late 1960s, American women were wearing mini skirts, so our clothing attire was quite outside the norm).
It's important to emphasize that in that particular cultural nationalist organization, and among other afro-centric African Americans of that time, dashikis were strictly a male only attire.
It was very rare for members of this organization, female or male, to own store bought African clothing which was, allegedly anyway, made of "real" African fabric, and imported from Africa. The sewn garments were handmade by one or more of the sisters of the organization or a female relatives of the male or female members. In particular, I recall that the mother of one male member of the organization sewed (on a sewing machine) bubas (tops), dresses, and sewed the borders for the "lapas/gele" materials that many women members of that organization wore. She also made a lot of the dashikis that the men of the organization wore. Sometimes she sold some of these garbs for a very low cost, and sometimes she gifted the clothing that she made.
Headwraps- Women sometimes wore a headwrap (a wrapped around piece of material) for everyday wear. However, on special occassions such as the once a week organization's gathering* which was open to the community, a women's attire wasn't considered to be complete unless she wore a matching headwrap (gele). If you weren't heavyset, the same piece of material which was worn as a wraparound skirt could also be worn as a gele. These headwraps were always tied and never pinned. There were various styles in which women wore their headwraps. I preferred (and still sometimes wear) my geles in styles which approximate the Yoruba styles of headwraps in which one or more pieces of material was left out. However, the "crown" look where all end pieces were tucked in was the usual style of headwraps for members of that organization. That "crown" style was NOT the same as the tall turban look that neo-soul singer Erykah Badu was later known for. Female members of our group could have shown sister Erykah a more attractive, more "authentic" way of wrapping her gele.
Children wore "regular" clothing and no African head wraps for girls and no African hats for males.
*Those weekly gatherings were cultural events in which various members, including Amiri Baraka would read poetry, some of the male members of organization would play conga drums (djembes were known to very few African Americans then), and a group of the brother in the organization (known as the Simba Wachunga- Swahili for "young brothers") would perform the South African boot dance. Similar to a church service, the main portion of the program consisted of one of the group's leaders (usually male) speaking about a subject pertaining to African cultural nationalism such as Maulana Karenga's Kawaida (Seven Principle). Those same seven principles comprise the days of Kwanzaa.
Religion wasn't something that was talked about in that organization, and I believe that most of the organization's members (including me) were Christians, albeit, usually-at that time- not church going Christians. There was very little mention of religious or spiritual beliefs in those weekly gatherings. That said, I vaguely recall some mention of (what I now know is is the Zulu Supreme deity) Unkulunkulu - the leadership of that organization was very eclectic in the "Africanims" that were grafted into that organization's customs & "beliefs". We used the English word "no" but for "yes" we used the Zulu word "yebo". And I can't recall using any African language greeting, but the "Kwaida" principles were from the Swahili language as was Kwanzaa, which was the only African holiday we celebrated. (People alo celebrated birthdays and other holidays privately if they wanted to). Perhaps because that organization wasn't religious based, there was only a little chanting, and that was of slogans like "It's Nation Time!" and "Black Power!".
When I reflect on that organization, what is surprising is that-besides the male boot dancers, there was little to no African dancing. And, given the leadership of Amiri Baraka, it's somewhat surprising that there were no dramatic skits. Also, there was no singing, not even during Kwanzaa. And that is contrary to African American traditions.
By the way, unlike Muslim gatherings, there were no separate seating for males and females and men and women usually sat together. Also, since those gatherings were recruiting as well as teaching occassions, the organization's members were encourgaged to sit with people from the community who came for the cultural program. Those folks could usually be distinguished from the organization's members because they usually didn't wear "African garb" like dashikis or long dresses & headwraps.
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FEATURED VIDEOS
Video #1: Lágbájá - Lùlù Fuń Wọn
Motherlan on Jun 1, 2010
-snip-
From that video's viewer comment thread:
..."it's called oriki... a sort of praise mixed with epithets. It loses its strength and deep meaning if translated to english....
basically the man in purple & yellow is singing epithets to Lagbaja (and a bit of his lineage too). And Lagbaja is upset with him and warns him to stop the oriki, probably because he does not want him to reveal his identity (Lagbaja i.e. since nobody knows who he is). Then, the man invites him to dance and he does.
-taganew; 2011
-snip-
This video shows Yoruba men wearing dansikis with or without the long outer "agbada" garment.
****
Note that the videos of a traditional Yoruba formal attire for men (agbadas over dansikis and pants) are no longer available. I've substituted two other videos.
Those videos also show women's formal attire including the "buba" (blouse; pronounced boo-bah), "iro" (wrap around skirt, pronounced e-row), and "gele" (head wrap, pronounced gay-lay), all made of Yoruba "aso oke" (pronounced ah-soh oh-kay) cloth.
Video #2: SOLA x SENI - A NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL WEDDING TRAILER
SCOBO SHOT IT clear picture digital, Published on Aug 16, 2016
****
Video #: 3Nigerian Engagment & Wedding of Joshua & Olamide
Justice Films & Studio, Published on Aug 17, 2017
Justice Films & Studio AVbyEric.com present Nigerian Engagment & Wedding of Joshua & Olamide
-snip-
Contrast those traditional Yoruba garments with the adapted African American shirt called the dashiki that is shown in the following two videos:
****
Video #4: Vintage Mens & Womens 70s ethnic TRIBAL dashiki
Uploaded by Carlos Kai Vega on Oct 31, 2011
Vintage 1970s Dashiki's
**
Video #5: Gold Embroidered Dashiki | Africa Imports
Uploaded by afseller on Oct 22, 2010
African Chic Gold Embroidered Dashiki.
This black dashiki with shimmering gold embroidery is the perfect way to complete any look. Embroidery varies on each dashiki. 100% rayon; best if hand washed. Fits up to a 50" chest and 30" length. Kufi hat fits 24" circumference. Made in Pakistan.
-snip-
Note that these dashikis were "Made in Pakistan" and not in Nigeria or any other African nation. It's my understanding that most "so-called "African fabric" such as that used for the ubiquitous dashikis shown in Video #4 were from Asia and not Africa.
One video I found online indicated that "traditional tribal" dashiki and shorts was its largest selling item. Double Ugh for the words "traditional and tribal". I prefer the word "ethnic" because of the negative connotations of the word "tribal". To a large extent, those negative connotations stem from the fact that "tribal" is rarely if ever used to refer to White people. When have you ever heard of a White European tribe?
Back in the 1960s and 1970s at least African Americans had the excuse that information about traditional African clothing wasn't readily available. In the early 21st century, thanks in large part to the Internet in general and YouTube specifically, that excuse is no longer valid.
And after seeing the traditional African clothing, including those wore by the Yorubas of Nigeria, I can truly say "Ain't nothin like the real thing, baby".
****
Example #7: Maliki Pandeiro in Uncle Jerry's Dashiki (Maliki Pandeiro no Dashiki do Tio Jerry)
Malikilam Uploaded on Oct 2, 2010
Well, I recently inherited this dashiki from my Uncle Jerry who just passed away. So, this is a tribute to him.
On some level it's nice useful and enjoyable to take existing very seriously and focus on whatever is designated as important in our culturo-temporal context (yes, I'm making up words cause that's how I do), AND (not BUT but AND because this is about unification not distinction) it is also nice, useful and enjoyable to jump into an experience with a lot less preconception and simply play like a kid.
So, this play session is dedicated to one of the cats who laid the foundation on which I do my thing (and hopefully lay some foundations for other folks), my Uncle Jerry. I suppose you could say my Uncle Jerry was a sort of bridge in that he came out of Harlem NYC in an era that was, from what he told me, very much a different scene than what I am used to. It seems like competition (for resources, self-esteem and space to exist) was highlighted in the consciousness of that world, and, interestingly enough, the underlying unity and harmony continually found its way up through the cracks in the cement jungle (doesn't it always eventually?).
From that background Uncle Jerry bridged out to travel the world, explore Eastern religions, make up songs about how he was going to force us kids to eat oatmeal, tell us to feel how strong his biceps were and then catch our hand between his biceps and forearm and not let go, dress to the nines in white suits with butterfly collars, drink Gewürztraminer wine and smack his lips in spirals of excessive glee, hit on women half his age, stay in the ocean and pool longer than any land mammal should, write articles on African-American history and physics to try to educate youngsters, and generally tell everybody what to do and how to do it.
Thanks Uncle Jerry!
****
Example #7: BEST OF NIGERIAN FASHION "natives"
Godson Eh, Published on Oct 12, 2012
Nigeria is a very diverse Nation. Every tribes has their own costumes and styles of dressing,eating and dancing and singing. Here in this pictures, you have some of the various form of dressing popularly know in Nigeria as "Natives" presented
****
RELATED LINKS
Pictures Of Nigeria Traditional Attire
http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-158215.0.html
**
Pinning Birthday Dollars
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/09/pinning-birthday-dollars.html [Notice the Yoruba men & Yoruba women wearing traditional clothing.]
**
Why I Started Wearing African Dresses
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-i-started-wearing-african-dresses.html
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
This post provides information, comments, and video examples of the article of clothing that is called a "dashiki".
The content of this post is presented for cultural and informational purposes.
All content remains with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these featured videos.
-snip-
This post was originally published in Feb. 2012.
****
GENERAL INFORMATION
A dashiki [dah-SHE-kee] is a shirt that was originally marketed only for males. Dashikis were "must have" articles of clothing for afro-centric African American males in the 1970s, as wearing a dashiki symbolized pride in one's African heritage.
The word "dashiki" is an American (African American) form of the Nigerian word "dansiki" (pronounced dahn-SHE-kee). According to Norma H. Wolff in her book Dashikis, "The Yoruba borrowed the word from the Hausa dan ciki (literally "underneath"), which refers to a short tunic worn by males under larger robes."
*This sentence is part of an excerpt found in the next section below.
****
QUOTES ABOUT DANSIKIS AND OTHER WEST AFRICAN MALE ATTIRE
From http://angelasancartier.net/africa-sub-saharan-history-of-dress
"Africa, sub-Saharan: history of dress
Men’s trouser shapes vary considerably. Along with Western fashions found across the continent, indigenous fashions also abound. In Nigeria, Hausa men wear enormously large drawstring breeches with a “baba riga” over the top. Yoruba men wear both wide or narrow trousers, often as a three-piece outfit along with a robe (agbada) and shirt (dansiki). When the men’s ensemble is tailored from colorful, wax-printed cotton, the Yoruba outfit is interpreted as being informal. If made from damask, lace, eyelet, brocade, or the handwoven textile of nubby, native silk that the Yoruba call sanyan (produced by a different silk worm than the Asian one), the ensemble is considered formal."
****
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boubou_(clothing)
"The Grand Boubou/Bubu is one of the names for a flowing wide sleeved robe worn by men in much of West Africa, and to a lesser extent in North Africa, related to the Dashiki suit. It is known by various names, depending on the ethnic group wearing them: Agbada (Yoruba, Dagomba), Babban Riga (Hausa), K'sa (Tuareg) Grand Boubou (in various Francophone West African countries) and the English term of Gown. The Senegalese Boubou, a variation on the Grand Boubou described below, is also known as the Senegalese kaftan. The female version worn in some communities is also known as a M'boubou or Kaftan....
The Grand boubou as a full formal attire consists of 3 pieces of clothing: a pair of tie-up trousers that narrow towards the ankles (known as a Sokoto pronounced "Shokoto" in Yoruba) and a long-sleeved shirt (known as a Dashiki in Yoruba*) and a wide, open-stitched sleeveless gown worn over these. They are generally of the same colour... the Grand boubou is now mostly made from cotton and synthetic cloths made to resemble silk."
****
QUOTES ABOUT DASHIKIS
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashiki:
"The dashiki found a market in America during the Black cultural and political struggles in the 1960s. A prototype was developed in 1967 by Jason Benning, Milton Clarke, Howard Davis, and William Smith. These young professionals formed a company called New Breed to produce dashikis. It was located in a 2-room clothing store at 147th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue in the Harlem section of Manhattan. Articles on New Breed appeared in Ebony Magazine and the New York Times (4/20/69).
The dashiki was featured in the movies Uptight (1968), Putney Swope (1969), and the weekly television series Soul Train (1971). See also Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America, Track 14:28 (2010). Jim Brown, Wilt Chamberlain, Sammy Davis Jr., and Bill Russell were among the well-known Black athletes and entertainers who wore the dashiki on talk shows.
The term dashiki begins appearing in print at least as early as mid-1968: an article by Faith Berry in the New York Times Magazine includes it on July 7, 1968. Reporting on the 1967 Newark riots in the Amsterdam News on July 22, 1967, George Barner refers to a new African garment called a "danshiki." "Dashiki" first appeared in the Webster’s New World Dictionary, 1st College Edition 1970/72."
****
UPDATE 1/23/2015
From http://fashion-history.lovetoknow.com/clothing-types-styles/dashiki "Dashiki" By Norma H. Wolff
"A dashiki is a loose-fitting, pullover shirt usually sewn from colorful, African-inspired cotton prints or from solid color fabrics, often with patch pockets and embroidery at the neckline and cuffs. The dashiki appeared on the American fashion scene during the 1960s when embraced by the black pride and white counterculture movements. "Dashiki" is a loanword from the West African Yoruba term danshiki, which refers to a short, sleeveless tunic worn by men. The Yoruba borrowed the word from the Hausa dan ciki (literally "underneath"), which refers to a short tunic worn by males under larger robes....
Worn by increasing numbers of young white Americans attracted to the bright colors and ornate embroidery, the dashiki lost much of its black political identity and epitomized the larger scene of changing American society....
Throughout its history in American fashion, the dashiki has functioned as a significant, but sometimes ambiguous, identity marker. In its earliest manifestation, with the Afro hairstyle, headgear, and African beads, it was associated with black power, the "Black Is Beautiful" movement, and the development of Afrocentrism...
In the early days of the twenty-first century, the dashiki has retained meaning for the African American community and a historical marker of the 1960s counterculture. While seldom seen as street wear, the dashiki is worn at festive occasions such as Kwanzaa, the annual celebration to mark the unity of Americans of African descent and express pride in African heritage (Goss and Goss)."
-snip-
Italics added by me to highlight that sentence.
****
UPDATE: 1/23/2015
From http://museumofuncutfunk.com/2009/08/02/dashiki-how-funky-is-that/
"The dashiki was introduced as a way to protest society’ s disrespect for Blacks. It was a symbol of affirmation, standing for “Black is Beautiful,” a return to African roots, and insistence on full rights in American society. Marion Berry, later to become mayor of Washington, D.C., was then one of the rebels leading the “Free DC Movement” to gain voting rights for the mostly Black residents of Washington. Sam Smith, editor of The Progressive Review, recalled that in those days the press would describe him as “dashiki-clad Negro militant Marion Barry.” The 1960s were the hippie era, too, and whites in the counterculture sometimes adopted the dashiki for its rebellious symbolism as well as its anti-mainstream fashion statement.
The militancy of the 1960s has faded, but the dashiki has not. It still serves as a symbol of Africanness within American culture, as in the celebration of Kwanzaa. It is also sometimes an ingredient of high fashion or just a colorful, comfortable shirt for all occasions"...
-snip-
That blog post includes a number of photographs of dashikis, including one that features a woman wearing that top. Among afro-centric African American women in the late 1960s and 1970s (including me), dashikis were considered a male only item of clothing and females who wore dashikis were looked upon with disdain because they didn't know or didn't adhere to that "fact".
****
UPDATE: 8/6/2014
Click http://www.oyotunji.org/oba-oseijeman-bio.html for information about Oba Adefunmi.
That article indicates that Oba Adefunmi "Introduced the Danshiki and began small scale manufacture of African attire in the summer of 1960. Founded the Yoruba Academy for the academic study of Yoruba history, religion and language in 1961. Opened the Ujamaa Market in 1961 beginning a trend of African boutiques, which, like the Danshiki, spread throughout African American communities."
-end of quote-
His Royal Highness Oba Ofuntola Oseijeman Adelabu Adefunmi was the founder and head of the Yoruba Temple in New York City, and was the founder and leader of the Yoruba Village of Oyotunji in Beaufort County South Carolina in 1970.
Also click http://www.pluralism.org/religion/afro-caribbean/oyotunji for information about Oyotunji Village.
While Oba Adefunmi certainly could have manufactured and sold shirts in his Ujamaa Market that later came to be known as "dashikis", I believe that that term wasn't used for those shirts until the late 1960s.
****
EDITORIAL COMMENT: ADULT CLOTHING ATTIRE IN AN AFRO-CENTRIC ORGANIZATION (NEWARK, NEW JERSEY (LATE 1960S)
From 1967-1969 I was a member of the African cultural nationalist organization known as "The Committee For Unified Newark (CFUN). For a portion of that time, and afterwards, that organization was headed by poet, playwright, and community activist Amiri Baraka (formerly Le-Roi Jones). For some reason, "garb" was the general term that members of this cultural national organization called our garments - handmade or store bought - (particularly the female garments). Here are my recollections of the adult outer clothing attire (excluding fall/winter jackets & coats) that was worn by members of that organization:
Men:
Men wore regular clothing (store bouoght pants & shirts) most days. On special occassions, in the spring, summer, and early fall, men wore short sleeve (usually hand made) usually v necked dashikis. These dashikis were made of "so-called" African print, or were a solid (one) color. The men might accessorize their dashikis with a large Egyptian ankh necklace, or with a red, green, and black large beaded necklace.
In the colder months, for special occassions, men wore pants and long sleeve turtle necked sweaters under their dashikis. Few members of that organization owned a grand boubou or agbada. I however recall that Zayd, one of the male leaders of that organization wore an agbada on at least one occassion.
Men who were members of that organization rarely wore any African hats.
Women:
Tops: In the spring, summer, and early fall, women wore bubas (simply sewed tops with little or no designs), or one color t-shirts to match a color in their their skirts. In the later fall & winter, women wore long sleeve sweeters, including "turtle neck" sweaters as tops.
Skirts: Women wore about 2 1/2 inches of store bought fabric that we wrapped around and tied (with no belt or pins). The African term that we used for those wrap around skirts was or "lapas" (lah-pahs), a term that decades later I read was used for wrap around skirts in Liberia, West Africa. Although we knew the terms "bubas" and "gele", members of that African cultural organization didn't know the word "iro", the Yoruba Nigeria term for wrap around skirts.
That same material could be worn in some form of toga like dress, although that was rarely done. Women also wore handmade or store bought long skirts, handmade (sewing machine) or store bought long dresses, usually in a caftan style. Most of these skirts/dresses (wrapped or sewn) were near ankle length, but some were more "midi" length (ignificantly below the knees). (Recall that in the late 1960s, American women were wearing mini skirts, so our clothing attire was quite outside the norm).
It's important to emphasize that in that particular cultural nationalist organization, and among other afro-centric African Americans of that time, dashikis were strictly a male only attire.
It was very rare for members of this organization, female or male, to own store bought African clothing which was, allegedly anyway, made of "real" African fabric, and imported from Africa. The sewn garments were handmade by one or more of the sisters of the organization or a female relatives of the male or female members. In particular, I recall that the mother of one male member of the organization sewed (on a sewing machine) bubas (tops), dresses, and sewed the borders for the "lapas/gele" materials that many women members of that organization wore. She also made a lot of the dashikis that the men of the organization wore. Sometimes she sold some of these garbs for a very low cost, and sometimes she gifted the clothing that she made.
Headwraps- Women sometimes wore a headwrap (a wrapped around piece of material) for everyday wear. However, on special occassions such as the once a week organization's gathering* which was open to the community, a women's attire wasn't considered to be complete unless she wore a matching headwrap (gele). If you weren't heavyset, the same piece of material which was worn as a wraparound skirt could also be worn as a gele. These headwraps were always tied and never pinned. There were various styles in which women wore their headwraps. I preferred (and still sometimes wear) my geles in styles which approximate the Yoruba styles of headwraps in which one or more pieces of material was left out. However, the "crown" look where all end pieces were tucked in was the usual style of headwraps for members of that organization. That "crown" style was NOT the same as the tall turban look that neo-soul singer Erykah Badu was later known for. Female members of our group could have shown sister Erykah a more attractive, more "authentic" way of wrapping her gele.
Children wore "regular" clothing and no African head wraps for girls and no African hats for males.
*Those weekly gatherings were cultural events in which various members, including Amiri Baraka would read poetry, some of the male members of organization would play conga drums (djembes were known to very few African Americans then), and a group of the brother in the organization (known as the Simba Wachunga- Swahili for "young brothers") would perform the South African boot dance. Similar to a church service, the main portion of the program consisted of one of the group's leaders (usually male) speaking about a subject pertaining to African cultural nationalism such as Maulana Karenga's Kawaida (Seven Principle). Those same seven principles comprise the days of Kwanzaa.
Religion wasn't something that was talked about in that organization, and I believe that most of the organization's members (including me) were Christians, albeit, usually-at that time- not church going Christians. There was very little mention of religious or spiritual beliefs in those weekly gatherings. That said, I vaguely recall some mention of (what I now know is is the Zulu Supreme deity) Unkulunkulu - the leadership of that organization was very eclectic in the "Africanims" that were grafted into that organization's customs & "beliefs". We used the English word "no" but for "yes" we used the Zulu word "yebo". And I can't recall using any African language greeting, but the "Kwaida" principles were from the Swahili language as was Kwanzaa, which was the only African holiday we celebrated. (People alo celebrated birthdays and other holidays privately if they wanted to). Perhaps because that organization wasn't religious based, there was only a little chanting, and that was of slogans like "It's Nation Time!" and "Black Power!".
When I reflect on that organization, what is surprising is that-besides the male boot dancers, there was little to no African dancing. And, given the leadership of Amiri Baraka, it's somewhat surprising that there were no dramatic skits. Also, there was no singing, not even during Kwanzaa. And that is contrary to African American traditions.
By the way, unlike Muslim gatherings, there were no separate seating for males and females and men and women usually sat together. Also, since those gatherings were recruiting as well as teaching occassions, the organization's members were encourgaged to sit with people from the community who came for the cultural program. Those folks could usually be distinguished from the organization's members because they usually didn't wear "African garb" like dashikis or long dresses & headwraps.
****
FEATURED VIDEOS
Video #1: Lágbájá - Lùlù Fuń Wọn
Motherlan on Jun 1, 2010
-snip-
From that video's viewer comment thread:
..."it's called oriki... a sort of praise mixed with epithets. It loses its strength and deep meaning if translated to english....
basically the man in purple & yellow is singing epithets to Lagbaja (and a bit of his lineage too). And Lagbaja is upset with him and warns him to stop the oriki, probably because he does not want him to reveal his identity (Lagbaja i.e. since nobody knows who he is). Then, the man invites him to dance and he does.
-taganew; 2011
-snip-
This video shows Yoruba men wearing dansikis with or without the long outer "agbada" garment.
****
Note that the videos of a traditional Yoruba formal attire for men (agbadas over dansikis and pants) are no longer available. I've substituted two other videos.
Those videos also show women's formal attire including the "buba" (blouse; pronounced boo-bah), "iro" (wrap around skirt, pronounced e-row), and "gele" (head wrap, pronounced gay-lay), all made of Yoruba "aso oke" (pronounced ah-soh oh-kay) cloth.
Video #2: SOLA x SENI - A NIGERIAN TRADITIONAL WEDDING TRAILER
SCOBO SHOT IT clear picture digital, Published on Aug 16, 2016
****
Video #: 3Nigerian Engagment & Wedding of Joshua & Olamide
Justice Films & Studio, Published on Aug 17, 2017
Justice Films & Studio AVbyEric.com present Nigerian Engagment & Wedding of Joshua & Olamide
-snip-
Contrast those traditional Yoruba garments with the adapted African American shirt called the dashiki that is shown in the following two videos:
****
Video #4: Vintage Mens & Womens 70s ethnic TRIBAL dashiki
Uploaded by Carlos Kai Vega on Oct 31, 2011
Vintage 1970s Dashiki's
**
Video #5: Gold Embroidered Dashiki | Africa Imports
Uploaded by afseller on Oct 22, 2010
African Chic Gold Embroidered Dashiki.
This black dashiki with shimmering gold embroidery is the perfect way to complete any look. Embroidery varies on each dashiki. 100% rayon; best if hand washed. Fits up to a 50" chest and 30" length. Kufi hat fits 24" circumference. Made in Pakistan.
-snip-
Note that these dashikis were "Made in Pakistan" and not in Nigeria or any other African nation. It's my understanding that most "so-called "African fabric" such as that used for the ubiquitous dashikis shown in Video #4 were from Asia and not Africa.
One video I found online indicated that "traditional tribal" dashiki and shorts was its largest selling item. Double Ugh for the words "traditional and tribal". I prefer the word "ethnic" because of the negative connotations of the word "tribal". To a large extent, those negative connotations stem from the fact that "tribal" is rarely if ever used to refer to White people. When have you ever heard of a White European tribe?
Back in the 1960s and 1970s at least African Americans had the excuse that information about traditional African clothing wasn't readily available. In the early 21st century, thanks in large part to the Internet in general and YouTube specifically, that excuse is no longer valid.
And after seeing the traditional African clothing, including those wore by the Yorubas of Nigeria, I can truly say "Ain't nothin like the real thing, baby".
****
Example #7: Maliki Pandeiro in Uncle Jerry's Dashiki (Maliki Pandeiro no Dashiki do Tio Jerry)
Malikilam Uploaded on Oct 2, 2010
Well, I recently inherited this dashiki from my Uncle Jerry who just passed away. So, this is a tribute to him.
On some level it's nice useful and enjoyable to take existing very seriously and focus on whatever is designated as important in our culturo-temporal context (yes, I'm making up words cause that's how I do), AND (not BUT but AND because this is about unification not distinction) it is also nice, useful and enjoyable to jump into an experience with a lot less preconception and simply play like a kid.
So, this play session is dedicated to one of the cats who laid the foundation on which I do my thing (and hopefully lay some foundations for other folks), my Uncle Jerry. I suppose you could say my Uncle Jerry was a sort of bridge in that he came out of Harlem NYC in an era that was, from what he told me, very much a different scene than what I am used to. It seems like competition (for resources, self-esteem and space to exist) was highlighted in the consciousness of that world, and, interestingly enough, the underlying unity and harmony continually found its way up through the cracks in the cement jungle (doesn't it always eventually?).
From that background Uncle Jerry bridged out to travel the world, explore Eastern religions, make up songs about how he was going to force us kids to eat oatmeal, tell us to feel how strong his biceps were and then catch our hand between his biceps and forearm and not let go, dress to the nines in white suits with butterfly collars, drink Gewürztraminer wine and smack his lips in spirals of excessive glee, hit on women half his age, stay in the ocean and pool longer than any land mammal should, write articles on African-American history and physics to try to educate youngsters, and generally tell everybody what to do and how to do it.
Thanks Uncle Jerry!
****
Example #7: BEST OF NIGERIAN FASHION "natives"
Godson Eh, Published on Oct 12, 2012
Nigeria is a very diverse Nation. Every tribes has their own costumes and styles of dressing,eating and dancing and singing. Here in this pictures, you have some of the various form of dressing popularly know in Nigeria as "Natives" presented
****
RELATED LINKS
Pictures Of Nigeria Traditional Attire
http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-158215.0.html
**
Pinning Birthday Dollars
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/09/pinning-birthday-dollars.html [Notice the Yoruba men & Yoruba women wearing traditional clothing.]
**
Why I Started Wearing African Dresses
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-i-started-wearing-african-dresses.html
****
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