The Ghanaian Smock or Tani is a fabric worn by both women and men in Ghana. [1] It is the most popular traditional attire in the country. The fabric is called Tani in Dagbani, while the male and female wear are respectively called Bin'gmaa and Bin'mangli. The smock is formally worn with a hat (zipligu)/ scarf (bobga), footwear (muɣri), and a trouser (kurugu). [2]
The smock is also called Bun-nwↃ or Bana by Mamprusis, fugu in Mossi, batakari in the southern Ghana, dansika in Frafra, and Banaa in Kusaal both in the upper east region. [3] It is worn by Royals and civilians across Dagbon and other northern regions, but popular across Ghana. The smock originated in the northern region of Ghana, during the reign of Yaa Naa Zanjina, but widely used in West Africa and across the world. It is similar to the national attire of Burkina Faso known as faso dan fadi.
The smock and Kente cloth are the national dress of Ghana. Kente cloth originated in the southern region of Ghana.
The smock is traditionally made from hand-loomed strips comprising a blend of dyed and undyed cotton yarns. It is intricately sewn together by hand, resulting in a distinctive plaid pattern that characterizes the smock. [4] Some variations showcase additional artistic elements, such as embroidery adorning the neckline. [5]
A significant accessory to the smock is the Zipligu, a hat worn in conjunction with this traditional attire. [6] [7] An interesting aspect of the production process is the division of labour: women are traditionally responsible for making the strips, while men take on the task of making the smock itself.
The smock was introduced in the 1600s during the reign of Yaa Naa Zanjina. [2] [8] [9] It predates the modern suit. [10] Today, the smock has been adopted widely outside Dagbon.
Historically, the smock was rarely seen in the West. As recently as the 1990s, immigrants from Ghana were the only individuals seen wearing the smock. All of that changed as the popularity of films produced in Ghana increased among Black Americans and Caribbeans. In recent years people of African descent have started wearing smocks to churches, mosques, African festivals, and Kwanzaa celebrations in major Western cities like New York and Kingston, Jamaica.
Purple Hibiscus was a temporary, large-scale public art installation created by Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama. Unveiled in April 2024, it transformed the facade of the Barbican Centre, a brutalist art and conference centre, in London, England. [4] It was part of the Barbican Centre's exhibition "Unravel: The Power & Politics of Textiles in Art." The installation was on display from April 10 to August 18, 2024. [7]
The centrepiece of Purple Hibiscus was approximately 2,000 square meters of bespoke, hand-woven pink and purple fabric. Hundreds of craftspeople from Tamale, Ghana, created this fabric specifically for the installation. [9] Sewn onto the fabric were roughly 100 "batakari" robes, traditionally worn by Ghanaians in both northern and southern regions. Mahama acquired these robes through barter and exchange within communities across Northern Ghana. [5]
Significance
The title, Purple Hibiscus, referenced Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel of the same name, which explores themes of family, tradition, and change in post-colonial Nigeria. The vibrant colours and textures of the installation contrasted starkly with the Barbican's concrete exterior. [6] Mahama's use of handcrafted textiles highlighted the importance of human labour and traditional craft practices. The batakari robes themselves embodied the concept of intergenerational knowledge and cultural heritage. The artwork sparked discussions about colonialism, trade, and the history embedded within everyday objects. [8]
A man is seen wearing a smock in the opening scene of the Jackie Aygemang movie, I Knew Nothing Till You Taught Me.
Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing a border with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and Togo in the east. Ghana covers an area of 239,567 km2 (92,497 sq mi), spanning diverse biomes that range from coastal savannas to tropical rainforests. With over 32 million inhabitants, Ghana is the second-most populous country in West Africa. The capital and largest city is Accra; other significant cities include Kumasi, Tamale, and Sekondi-Takoradi.
Kente refers to a Ghanaian textile made of hand-woven strips of silk and cotton. Historically the fabric was worn in a toga-like fashion by royalty among the Ewe and Akan. According to Ashanti oral tradition, it originated from Bonwire in the Ashanti region of Ghana. In modern day Ghana, the wearing of kente cloth has become widespread to commemorate special occasions, and kente brands led by master weavers are in high demand. Kente is also worn in parts of Togo and Ivory Coast by the Ewe and Akan people there.
A folk costume expresses a national identity through clothing or costume, which is usually associated with a specific region or period of time in history. It can also indicate social, marital, or religious status. If the costume is used to represent the culture or identity of a specific ethnic group, it is usually known as ethnic costume. Such costumes often come in two forms: one for everyday occasions, the other for traditional festivals and formal wear. The word "costume" in this context is sometimes considered pejorative due to the multiple senses of the word, and in such cases "clothing", "garments" or "regalia" can be substituted without offense.
Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II (1945–2002) was the King of Dagbon, the traditional kingdom of the Dagomba people in northern Ghana, from 31 May 1974 until his assassination on 27 March 2002. He was born in August 1945 in Sagnarigu, a suburb of Tamale in the Northern Region of Ghana. Yakubu II was killed on 27 March 2002 at Yendi, the capital of the Kingdom of Dagbon, by unknown people when clashes broke out between the two feuding Gates of Dagbon Kingship. For 600 years the Abudu and Andani clans, named after two sons of the ancient Dagbon king Ya Naa Yakubu I, cordially rotated control of the kingdom centred in Yendi, 530 kilometres (330 mi) north of Accra, the capital of Ghana. A regent acted as sovereign of the kingdom until 18 January 2019 when a new ruler is chosen to occupy the revered Lion Skins of Yendi.
The Dagombas or Dagbamba are an ethnic group of Ghana, and Togo. They number more than 3.1 million people. The term Dagbamba is originally extended to refer to other related peoples who were unified by Naa Gbewaa including the Mamprusi and Nanumba. The Dagomba country is called Dagbon and they speak Dagbanli language. Dagbanli is the most spoken language of northern Ghana and second most widely spoken local language of Ghana. Dagbanli belongs to the Mabia (Mole-Dagbani) subgroup of the Gur languages, a large group of related languages in West Africa. The Dagomba practises both patrilineal and matrilineal systems of inheritance.
Yendi , is the traditional capital of the Kingdom of Dagbon and the administrative centre of the Yendi Municipal District in the Northern Region of Ghana. As of 2021, the population of Yendi was 154,421 comprising 76,142 males and 78,279 females. It is the seat of the King of the Dagbon, Ghana's oldest kingdom.
The wrapper, lappa, or pagne is a colorful garment widely worn in West Africa by both men and women. It has formal and informal versions and varies from simple draped clothing to fully tailored ensembles. The formality of the wrapper depends on the fabric used to create or design it.
African textiles are textiles from various locations across the African continent. Across Africa, there are many distinctive styles, techniques, dyeing methods, and decorative and functional purposes. These textiles hold cultural significance and also have significance as historical documents of African design.
Chinese clothing includes the traditional hanfu and garments of ethnic minorities, as well as modern variations of indigenous Chinese dresses. Chinese clothing has been shaped through its dynastic traditions, as well as through foreign influences. Chinese clothing showcases the traditional fashion sensibilities of Chinese culture traditions and forms one of the major cultural facets of Chinese civilization.
The sokutai (束帯) is a traditional Japanese outfit worn only by courtiers, aristocrats and the emperor at the Japanese imperial court. The sokutai originated in the Heian period, and consists of a number of parts, including the ho, shaku (笏), a flat ritual baton or sceptre, and the kanmuri (冠), a cap-shaped black lacquered silk hat with a pennon.
Naa Gbewaa is the founder of the Kingdom of Dagbon, in what is now northern Ghana. His sons and daughters are credited with founding several states, including the Mossi kingdoms of Burkina Faso. He established a stable and prosperous kingdom. Naa Gbewaa's shrine is located at Pusiga, 90 km east of Bolgatanga. His descendants continue to pay respects at the shrine.
The Damba festival is the largest festival in Ghana, celebrated by the peoples of the Northern, Savanna, North East, Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana. In recent times, Damba has become a multinational festival, attracting visitors from all over the world. The festival is annually celebrated in Germany, USA, and UK.
The national costume of Indonesia is the national attire that represents the Republic of Indonesia. It is derived from Indonesian culture and Indonesian traditional textile traditions. Today the most widely recognized Indonesian national attires include batik and kebaya, although originally those attires mainly belong within the island of Java and Bali, most prominently within Javanese, Sundanese and Balinese culture. Since Java has been the political and population center of Indonesia, folk attire from the island has become elevated into national status.
Nyankpala, with the appelation Beyom Yili, is a town located about 10 miles south-west of Tamale, the capital of the Northern Region of Ghana. The University for Development Studies (UDS) has its premier campus located in the town. This campus is the first of the university's campuses, the first to be established in northern Ghana.
The Kingdom of Dagbon (Dagbaŋ) is the oldest and one of the most organised traditional kingdoms in Ghana founded by the Dagomba people (Dagbamba) in the 15th century. During its rise, it comprised, at various points, the Northern, Upper West, Upper East, Savannah Region and North East regions of present-day Ghana. It also covered portions of Burkina Faso, North East Ivory Coast and North West Togo. Since Ghana's independence in 1957, the Kingdom just like all of Ghana's kingdoms and ethnic states has assumed a traditional, customary role.
The boubou or grand boubou is a flowing wide-sleeved robe worn across West Africa, and to a lesser extent in North Africa, related to the dashiki suit.
Yaa Naa Mahamadu IV was the King of Dagbon, the traditional kingdom of the Dagomba people in northern Ghana, from 1969 to 1974.
Bukali II, known as Gariba II, is the current Yaa Naa, traditional ruler of the Kingdom of Dagbon in Ghana.
The Batakari Festival is a cultural event organised by King Ayisoba to showcase Batakari, a traditional handmade Ghanaian smock from the Upper East Region of Ghana. The inaugural event was held in 2013 and the festival has since become an annual event in Ghana.
The African Fugu (Smock) also called Batakari in local Ghanaian language is a customary traditional men's garment from West Africa. It has gained acceptance in the whole of Ghana though it originates from Northern Ghana. The name Fugu is a translation from the Moshie word for cloth. The Dagombas call the garment Bingba.
Media related to Ghanaian smocks at Wikimedia Commons