Diemazz

Muslims wearing Boubou during the Islamic celebration of Tabaski (Eid-al-Adha) in Mali, West Africa.

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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.

History

Its origin lies with the clothing worn by the Islamized Tukulor, Mande and Songhai peoples of the historic 8th Century Takrur and Ghana Empires, and 13th Century Mali and Songhai Empires, 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).

The use of the Boubou as clothing became widespread throughout the West African region with the migration of semi-nomadic groups such as the Fulani, and traders such as the Dyula and Hausa. 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.

Use

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.

Clothing

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.

Method of wearing

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 is rare to see the Boubou's square shaped gown completely unwrapped.

Popularity

The Boubou's use was historically limited to various Islamized Sahelian and Saharan peoples of West Africa, but through increased trade and the spread of Islam throughout the region, had historically gained use among Islamized peoples in the savanna and forested regions of West Africa. Thus the Boubou was historically worn by Chiefs of the Yoruba of Nigeria, Dagomba of Ghana, the Mandinka of the Gambia and the Susu of Guinea.

Even today, the Boubou is mostly worn by Muslims , although it is gaining popularity as a fashionable form of attire by Christians in coastal areas, and to a lesser extent, the Swahili people of East Africa and other various Bantu speaking groups in Central Africa.

References

• http://www.adireafricantextiles.com/agbadainfo.htm

See also

• Bisht (clothing)
• Kaftan
• Dashiki
• Aso Oke Hat
• Senegalese kaftan
• Agbada (Grand Boubou) pictures

External links

• [Video of Malian griot Mah Kouyate, with extensive film of local Chiefs wearing the Grand Boubou during Eid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvPBa_ihXXI]
• This film, [1], and its sequel Miss Nigeria 2 [2], contain several properly worn boubous. The sleeves are folded while walking.

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