Everything about Boubou Clothing totally explained
The
Boubou/
Bubu is one of the names for a flowing wide sleeved robe worn in most 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
Francophonic West African countries) and the English term of
Gown.
Its origin lies with the clothing worn by the
Islamized peoples of the historic 8th Century
Ghana Empire and 13th Century
Mali Empire who had in turn adopted the clothing of the nobility of the early
Islamic Empire via the
Tuareg people. (see
Bisht and
Kaftan for information on these). Comparing the Boubou to the various styles of Arabic
Thawb suggests the Boubou follows a more archaic template to the contemporary male clothing of the Middle East and North Africa.
The Boubou's use was historically limited to the Islamized peoples of West Africa who had inhabited the
Sahel and
Sahara but through increased trade and the spread of Islam, had historically spread to the nobility of most of the Islamized peoples in the forested regions of West Africa, and was historically worn by Chiefs of the
Yoruba of Southwest Nigeria, the
Mandinka of the Gambia and the
Susu of Guinea. Even today, the Boubou is mostly worn by
Muslims, although it's gaining popularity as a fashionable form of attire by Christians in Southern
Nigeria and
Ghana, and to a lesser extent, the
Swahili people of
East Africa and various
Bantu speaking groups in
Central Africa.
The 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 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, and historically were made from silk, but increased understanding of Islamic restrictions on clothing meant the Boubou is now mostly made from cotton and synthetic cloths made to resemble silk.
There is a set etiquette to wearing the Boubou, primarily in place to keep the over-gown above the ankles at any one time, in keeping with Islamic traditions of avoiding impurity (see
Najis). This can include folding the open sleeves of the Boubou over one's shoulders, normally done while walking or before sitting down (as the man in the yellow Boubou in the picture to the right is displaying) to ensure the over-gown doesn't rub against the ground, or by folding/wrapping each side over the other with the hand, narrowing the gowns space toward the ankles (as done by the
Tuareg nomads of the Sahara). Thus, it's rare to see the Boubou's square shaped gown completely unwrapped.
The Boubou is usually decorated with intricate embroidery, and is worn on special religious or ceremonial occasions, for example the two Islamic
Eid festivals, weddings, funerals or for attending the
Mosque for
Friday prayer. It has become the formal attire of many countries in West Africa. Older robes have become family heirlooms passed on from father to son and are worn as status symbols.
The Boubou has female versions in
Mali,
Senegal,
Gambia and
Guinea, whereas in other regions of West Africa, the female formal clothing has been the
kaftan or
wrapper.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Boubou Clothing'.
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