Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams posts features nine* videos that show African American males wearing certain types of traditional African Hats (kufis and fezzes).
The content of this post is presented for cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in the videos that are embedded in this post and thanks to all the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
*The ninth video was added to this post on December 12, 2019.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/11/fila-red-ozos-kufis-and-some-other.html for Part I of a two part pancocojams series entitled "Filas, Red Ozos, Kufis, Aboki Cap, And Some Other Names For Traditional Nigerian Male Caps (information)". Part II presents videos of those male caps.
Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/12/why-few-african-american-males-wear.html for the pancocojams post entitled "Why Few African American Males Wear Traditional African Hats Such As Kufis, Filas, Or Fezzes".
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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
These videos are presented in chronological order according to their publishing date on YouTube, with the oldest dated video given first.
Video #1: "Africa Day at Bethany Baptist Church" - 1 of 3
Adeleside May 27, 2008
-snip-
1:02 in this video a woman is shown wearing a purple kufi. In Africa, kufis are traditionally only worn by males.
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Video #2: Sesame Street: Kwanzaa
Sesame Street, Dec 17, 2008
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Video #3: Sister Act 2 (Finale) Lauryn Hill - Joyful Joyful With Lyrics (Ft. Whoopi Goldberg)
Bound4Earth, Dec 9, 2009
-snip-
This movie was produced in 1993.
2:36 in this video shows the choir member Ahmal wearing pants, a kente cloth shirt, and an African kufi.
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Video #4: NIGHTLINE NEWS Interview w/ The Moorish Science Temple of America-1928
MSTA 1928, Jun 9, 2011
This interview was filmed independently of Night-Line News . This interview was from the reaction of the Sears Tower Bombing incident that took place in Chicago by a group of Brothers mislead by someone who was said to be a Member of The Moorish Science Temple.
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moorish_Science_Temple_of_America
"The Moorish Science Temple of America is an American national and religious organization founded by Noble Drew Ali. He based it on the premise that African Americans are descendants of the Moabites and thus are "Moorish" ... by adherents) by nationality, and Islamic by faith. Ali put together elements of major traditions to develop a message of personal transformation through historical education, racial pride and spiritual uplift. His doctrine was also intended to provide African Americans with a sense of identity in the world and to promote civic involvement."...
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Video #5: hiphopnc-Chuck Davis-African American Cultural Festival Raleigh, North Carolina
CarolinaExposedDVD, Dec 20, 2011
...Raleigh, North Carolina is the home to some of the oldest historical black colleges and universities. Some of the founders of Shaw University went on to find other educational institutions such as: Saint Augustine's College, Elizabeth City State University, Fayetteville State University, and North Carolina Central University just to name a few. In this video clip Vandem Productions Films In Association with Carolina Exposed DVD and Ablaze Jackson presents highlights of the 2011 African American Cultural Festival. AACF takes place in the City of Raleigh North Carolina, Wake County is a family friendly celebration of African American arts and culture in downtown Raleigh. The Festival takes place on Labor Day weekend in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina."
-snip-
Dancer Baba Chuck Davis popularized the call & response saying "Ago"/"Ame" in the United States. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/01/what-ago-ame-means-and-where-that-call.html for a 2015 pancocojams post entitled "What "Ago" / "Ame" Means And Where That Call & Response Command Came From".
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Video #6: African Liberation Day in Pittsburgh 2013. On May 25th, 201 Part 2
T.U.T AMENDMEDIA, May 30, 2013
National Black United Front (NBUF) will host an African Liberation Day (ALD) Parade and Celebration Saturday, May 25th, 2013....
-anip-
Click 12:12 to the end of this video which features a Moorish American man named Kent Bey explaining the significance of his fez.
This video is included in the 2014 pancocojams post entitled "The History & Meaning Of The Red, Black, And Green Flag" http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-history-meaning-of-red-black-and.html.
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Video #7: Very Rare Interview of Messenger Elijah Muhammad
Muhammad Speaks, Sep 20, 2013
Very Rare Interview of Messenger Elijah Muhammad
http://muhammadspeaks.com
-snip-
WARNING: In this video Elijah Muhammad makes some rather inflammatory remarks about Malcolm X.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah_Muhammad
"Elijah Muhammad (born Elijah Robert Poole; October 7, 1897 – February 25, 1975) was a religious leader who led the Nation of Islam (NOI) from 1934 until his death in 1975."...
-snip-
Members of The Nation Of Islam were colloquially known as "Black Muslims".
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Video #8: #SOULTRAIN #DonCornelius #SoulTrainBET
Marvin Gaye - Keep Getting It On
Soul Train, Mar 27, 2019
Marvin Gaye performing Keep Getting It On! [This song was released in 1973.]
-snip-
Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHu_ix9_zZQ&t=1s for a 2019 video entitled "Marvin Gaye exhibit". A caption in that video indicates that "the knit hat" that is on display in that exhibit "was worn during [Marvin Gaye's] "What's Going On" [album] era".
Also, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkCXv7ukeYs for a video of an African Day church service in the United States. That video shows a man wearing an African attire with a knitted kufi that is red, black, green, and yellow.
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Video #9: Hallelujah! [filmed in 1991]
soundsgoodtomeYT, Published on Oct 26, 2017
From the 1991 album 'Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration'
(Winner of the 1992 Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album)
Produced by Mervyn Warren.
Executive Produced by Quincy Jones.
Arranged by Mervyn Warren, Michael O. Jackson, and Mark Kibble.
Brass arranged by Jerry Hey
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/kente-cloth-and-other-african-fashion.html for the 2018 pancocojams post entitled "Kente Cloth And Other African Fashion Accessories & Garments Worn By The All Star Chorus In Quincy Jones' 1992 Rendition Of Handel's Hallelujah! Chorus"
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
Showing posts with label fezzes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fezzes. Show all posts
Sunday, December 1, 2019
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Kente Cloth And Other African Fashion Accessories & Garments Worn By The All Star Chorus In Quincy Jones' 1992 Rendition Of Handel's Hallelujah! Chorus
Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams posts focuses on the kente cloth and other African fashion accessories & garments that are worn by the All Star Chorus in Quincy Jones' 1992 rendition of Handel's Hallelujah! Chorus.
Information about kente cloth and information about the 1992 record "Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration" are also included in this post along with a video of "Hallelujah!" from that record.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Handel for his composition of "The Messiah". Thanks to all those who are featured in this video and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Happy holidays!
-snip-
June 11, 2025- I revisited this post tonight and noticed that none of the singers are wearing red, black, and green African American colors or red, green, and gold pan-African colors. I also noticed that no one is wearing any kente cloth stoles and only a few people in this assembled choir of African American professional singers are wearing kente cloth hats or garments. Probably half of that group of singers aren't wearing any African inspired clothing and/or African inspired hats.
If this 1992 project were replicated in 2025, and the suggested attire for the choir was African inspired clothing as it appears it was meant to be that year, the clothing the singers would wear would be very different as it would certainly include kente cloth stoles, among other African fabric.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Hallelujah!
soundsgoodtomeYT, Published on Oct 26, 2017
From the 1991 album 'Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration'
(Winner of the 1992 Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album)
Produced by Mervyn Warren.
Executive Produced by Quincy Jones.
Arranged by Mervyn Warren, Michael O. Jackson, and Mark Kibble.
Brass arranged by Jerry Hey
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/three-youtube-examples-of-handels.html for the lyrics to this song.
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INFORMATION ABOUT KENTE CLOTH
Kente, known as nwentom in Akan, is a type of silk and cotton fabric made of interwoven cloth strips and is native to the Akan ethnic group of West Ghana. Kente is made in Akan lands such as the Ashanti Kingdom, including the towns of Bonwire, Adanwomase, Sakora Wonoo, and Ntonso in the Kwabre areas of the Ashanti Region. This fabric is worn by almost every Ghanaian tribe. Kente comes from the word kenten, which means basket in the Asante dialect of Akan. Akans refer to kente as nwentoma, meaning woven cloth. It is an Akan royal and sacred cloth worn only in times of extreme importance and was the cloth of kings. Over time, the use of kente became more widespread. However, its importance has remained and it is held in high esteem by Akans.
[...]
The Akan people choose kente cloths as much for their names as their colors and patterns. Although the cloths are identified primarily by the patterns found in the lengthwise (warp) threads, there is often little correlation between appearance and name. Names are derived from several sources, including proverbs, historical events, important chiefs, queen mothers, and plants. The cloth symbolizes high in value.
[...]
Kente academic stoles are often used by African Americans as a symbol of ethnic pride.[8][9][10] This practice is also very popular with historically black Greek letter fraternities and sororities. African American students hold special ceremonies called "Donning of the Kente" where the stoles are presented to the graduates.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT [Revised December 24, 2018]
In the United States, Ghana's and the Ivory Coast's traditional kente cloth is the most widely known of all traditional African fabrics. Since at least the 1970s, for many African Americans, kente cloth has become a easily recognizable symbol of our African heritage. In addition to using kente cloth as stoles for Black graduation, Black minister's robes, and/or Gospel choirs, kente cloth patterns are also widely found in the United States , as website designs and greeting card designs, Kente cloth designs are also used as greeting cards, and as designs for a large number of household items such as table cloths and napkins, baseball caps, tennis shoes, umbrellas etc. According to various online articles that I've read, some Africans are highly critical of the adaptation of kente cloth for these secular purposes.
Examples of how kente cloth is worn as stoles, or as designs on African or African inspired clothing (including a baseball cap) can be found in the 1992 Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celeberation video that is embedded in this post.
Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/02/african-day-worship-services-in-african.html for Part III of a pancocojams posts about the "Africa Day" custom in some African American churches in which the choir and congregation are encouraged to dress in African (usually meaning "adapted African") attire. The links to the other posts in that series are included in each post.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT HANDEL'S MESSIAH: A SOULFUL CELEBRATION
Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration is a gospel album by various artists, released in 1992 on Warner Alliance. Executive produced by Norman Miller, Gail Hamilton and Mervyn Warren, it is a reinterpretation of the 1741 oratorio Messiah by George Frideric Handel, and has been widely praised for its use of multiple genres of African-American music, including spirituals, blues, ragtime, big band, jazz fusion, R&B and hip hop.
The album received the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, as well as the 1992 Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year.[1] In 1993, the various recording artists participating in the project were collectively nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Artist.
[...]
[track 16 of this album]
Hallelujah! [singers]
Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Patti Austin, Bernie K., Daryl Coley (soloist), Commissioned, Andrae Crouch, Sandra Crouch, Clifton Davis, Charles S. Dutton, Kim Fields, Larnelle Harris, Edwin Hawkins, Tramaine Hawkins, Linda Hopkins, Al Jarreau, Quincy Jones (conductor), Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Lizz Lee, Dawnn Lewis, Babbie Mason, Johnny Mathis, Marilyn McCoo, Mike E., Stephanie Mills, Jeffrey Osborne, David Pack, Phylicia Rashād, Joe Sample, Richard Smallwood, Sounds of Blackness, Take 6, Darryl Tookes, Mervyn Warren, Thomas Whitfield, Vanessa Williams, Chris Willis"...
****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welocme.
This pancocojams posts focuses on the kente cloth and other African fashion accessories & garments that are worn by the All Star Chorus in Quincy Jones' 1992 rendition of Handel's Hallelujah! Chorus.
Information about kente cloth and information about the 1992 record "Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration" are also included in this post along with a video of "Hallelujah!" from that record.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Handel for his composition of "The Messiah". Thanks to all those who are featured in this video and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
Happy holidays!
-snip-
June 11, 2025- I revisited this post tonight and noticed that none of the singers are wearing red, black, and green African American colors or red, green, and gold pan-African colors. I also noticed that no one is wearing any kente cloth stoles and only a few people in this assembled choir of African American professional singers are wearing kente cloth hats or garments. Probably half of that group of singers aren't wearing any African inspired clothing and/or African inspired hats.
If this 1992 project were replicated in 2025, and the suggested attire for the choir was African inspired clothing as it appears it was meant to be that year, the clothing the singers would wear would be very different as it would certainly include kente cloth stoles, among other African fabric.
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Hallelujah!
soundsgoodtomeYT, Published on Oct 26, 2017
From the 1991 album 'Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration'
(Winner of the 1992 Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album)
Produced by Mervyn Warren.
Executive Produced by Quincy Jones.
Arranged by Mervyn Warren, Michael O. Jackson, and Mark Kibble.
Brass arranged by Jerry Hey
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/12/three-youtube-examples-of-handels.html for the lyrics to this song.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT KENTE CLOTH
Kente, known as nwentom in Akan, is a type of silk and cotton fabric made of interwoven cloth strips and is native to the Akan ethnic group of West Ghana. Kente is made in Akan lands such as the Ashanti Kingdom, including the towns of Bonwire, Adanwomase, Sakora Wonoo, and Ntonso in the Kwabre areas of the Ashanti Region. This fabric is worn by almost every Ghanaian tribe. Kente comes from the word kenten, which means basket in the Asante dialect of Akan. Akans refer to kente as nwentoma, meaning woven cloth. It is an Akan royal and sacred cloth worn only in times of extreme importance and was the cloth of kings. Over time, the use of kente became more widespread. However, its importance has remained and it is held in high esteem by Akans.
[...]
The Akan people choose kente cloths as much for their names as their colors and patterns. Although the cloths are identified primarily by the patterns found in the lengthwise (warp) threads, there is often little correlation between appearance and name. Names are derived from several sources, including proverbs, historical events, important chiefs, queen mothers, and plants. The cloth symbolizes high in value.
[...]
Kente academic stoles are often used by African Americans as a symbol of ethnic pride.[8][9][10] This practice is also very popular with historically black Greek letter fraternities and sororities. African American students hold special ceremonies called "Donning of the Kente" where the stoles are presented to the graduates.
****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT [Revised December 24, 2018]
In the United States, Ghana's and the Ivory Coast's traditional kente cloth is the most widely known of all traditional African fabrics. Since at least the 1970s, for many African Americans, kente cloth has become a easily recognizable symbol of our African heritage. In addition to using kente cloth as stoles for Black graduation, Black minister's robes, and/or Gospel choirs, kente cloth patterns are also widely found in the United States , as website designs and greeting card designs, Kente cloth designs are also used as greeting cards, and as designs for a large number of household items such as table cloths and napkins, baseball caps, tennis shoes, umbrellas etc. According to various online articles that I've read, some Africans are highly critical of the adaptation of kente cloth for these secular purposes.
Examples of how kente cloth is worn as stoles, or as designs on African or African inspired clothing (including a baseball cap) can be found in the 1992 Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celeberation video that is embedded in this post.
Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/02/african-day-worship-services-in-african.html for Part III of a pancocojams posts about the "Africa Day" custom in some African American churches in which the choir and congregation are encouraged to dress in African (usually meaning "adapted African") attire. The links to the other posts in that series are included in each post.
****
INFORMATION ABOUT HANDEL'S MESSIAH: A SOULFUL CELEBRATION
Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration is a gospel album by various artists, released in 1992 on Warner Alliance. Executive produced by Norman Miller, Gail Hamilton and Mervyn Warren, it is a reinterpretation of the 1741 oratorio Messiah by George Frideric Handel, and has been widely praised for its use of multiple genres of African-American music, including spirituals, blues, ragtime, big band, jazz fusion, R&B and hip hop.
The album received the 1992 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, as well as the 1992 Dove Award for Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year.[1] In 1993, the various recording artists participating in the project were collectively nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Gospel Artist.
[...]
[track 16 of this album]
Hallelujah! [singers]
Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Patti Austin, Bernie K., Daryl Coley (soloist), Commissioned, Andrae Crouch, Sandra Crouch, Clifton Davis, Charles S. Dutton, Kim Fields, Larnelle Harris, Edwin Hawkins, Tramaine Hawkins, Linda Hopkins, Al Jarreau, Quincy Jones (conductor), Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Lizz Lee, Dawnn Lewis, Babbie Mason, Johnny Mathis, Marilyn McCoo, Mike E., Stephanie Mills, Jeffrey Osborne, David Pack, Phylicia Rashād, Joe Sample, Richard Smallwood, Sounds of Blackness, Take 6, Darryl Tookes, Mervyn Warren, Thomas Whitfield, Vanessa Williams, Chris Willis"...
****
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Visitor comments are welocme.
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