Why was Africa attractive to Europeans?

During this time, many European countries expanded their empires by aggressively establishing colonies in Africa so that they could exploit and export Africa’s resources. Raw materials like rubber, timber, diamonds, and gold were found in Africa. Europeans also wanted to protect trade routes.

What did African royalty wear?

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. Kente cloth is special on many levels.

What does African clothing symbolize?

It’s more than just being a fashion statement. Designers and tailors don’t make these clothes simply for appearance sake; each colour, symbol, and even shape of the clothing may have a very specific meaning or purpose. African clothing can also be a symbol of creativity, status and allegiance to African tribal roots.

What is the traditional African dress called?

The dashiki is a colorful garment worn mostly in West Africa.

Who attracted the Europeans in Africa give any three reasons?

(i) Europeans were attracted to Africa in search of valuable minerals like gold, coal, silver, etc. (ii) They were attracted to Africa due to its vast resources of land. (iii) They went to Africa hoping to establish plantations and mines.

What clothes do Africans use?

Flax and jute are distinctive textiles of West Africa along with raffia palm, which can also be found in more central African countries. Camel and sheep wool are weaved into fabrics that are typical of Northern Africa and silk is most commonly used in Eastern Africa.

What is the history of African clothing?

The first forms of clothing were bark cloth, furs, skins and hides, and the rest of the body adorned with beautification marks and colour pigments. Males simply wrapped the bark cloth that passed between the legs over a belt. Similarly, women draped the cloth over the belt to hide the front of their bodies.

Why is African fashion so Colourful?

In African culture, colours inherently have a symbolic nature in a variety of areas, including when rich and vibrant colours are used in African fabrics and African clothing. Colours can represent a variety of emotions, traditions and victories in the wake of struggles.

What do colors mean in Africa?

Every single colour that is used has its own symbolic meaning, as detailed below. Black: spiritual energy and maturity, as well as funeral rites and mourning. Blue: love, harmony, togetherness and peace. Maroon: healing, plus the colour of Mother Earth. Purple: normally worn by women, associated with femininity.

How do the Zulu wives dress?

In Zulu culture, women also wear different attire at different stages of their lives. Traditionally, women covered their bosom with a cloth, but nowadays cotton vests or beaded bras are worn along with beaded necklaces. The most iconic adornment are circular-shaped hats called izicolo, which are worn by married women.

What is the traditional clothing of West Africa?

In West Africa, the traditional clothing was weaved locally in places like Ghana, Senegal and Mali. It is similar to the contemporary West African clothing which comprises of a vest, tunic, gown, sandals and kaffir. In Ethiopia and Sudan, they wore plain gowns, sandals and turbans.

Why do African women wear jeans?

African women and girls rarely wore pants or other bifurcated garments until jeans and pants became fashionable for women in Europe, America, and Japan, thus beginning an influence on young African women especially to adopt these styles for many occasions.

What is the significance of African dress?

African dress, like dress everywhere, communicates age, gender, occupation, ethnicity, power, and religious commitment for everyday, celebratory, ceremonial, and ritual occasions. Along with fashionable Western dress, Africans wear Islamic and indigenous apparel.

Where did men’s clothing originate from?

Preshaped garments for men and women in general came from contact with Europeans and Middle Easterners, as women adopted dresses and gowns and men adopted jackets, shirts, and trousers as clothing styles.