Dashiki facts for kids

The dashiki is a bright and colorful shirt that covers the top part of your body. It's mostly worn in West Africa. In East Africa, like in Tanzania and Kenya, it's also known as a Kitenge. Dashikis can be casual or dressy, from simple draped clothes to fancy suits.

A common dashiki style is a loose shirt that you pull over your head. It often has a fancy V-shaped collar and decorated neck and sleeve edges. People often wear it with a brimless kufi cap (a hat worn in many African and African-American communities) and pants. The dashiki has become very popular among people of African heritage around the world, especially African Americans.

The well-known dashiki design came from a fabric pattern called the "Angelina print." This pattern was created by Dutch designer Toon van de Mannaker for a company called Vlisco, which makes designs "inspired by Africa." The Angelina print was actually inspired by traditional silk tunics worn by women in Ethiopia. This print became popular around the same time a Ghanaian high-life song called "Angelina" was released. Because of the song, people in West Africa started calling the fabric pattern "Angelina." In Congo, it was called "Ya Mamado!" and later "Miriam Makeba," after the famous South African musician who often wore these fabrics.

The word "dashiki" comes from the Yoruba word dàńṣíkí. This word itself came from the Hausa word dan ciki, which means 'shirt' or 'inner garment'. This is different from an outer garment like the babban riga.

Different Styles of Dashikis

Dashikis come in many styles, both casual and formal.

Casual Dashikis

The everyday dashiki is usually made from a printed fabric or has embroidery. It's comfortable and colorful.

Formal Dashikis

There are a few types of dressier dashikis:

• Dashiki Suit: This includes a dashiki shirt, sokoto (which are drawstring pants), and a matching kufi cap. This style is often worn by grooms at wedding ceremonies.
• Senegalese Kaftan: This is a longer version. It has an ankle-length shirt, a matching kufi, and sokoto pants.
• Grand Boubou or Agbada: This style includes a dashiki shirt and matching trousers, with a large, flowing gown worn over them.

Clothing stores offer different kinds of dashiki suits. The name of the suit often depends on the shirt's length:

• A traditional dashiki suit has a shirt that reaches your thighs.
• A long dashiki suit has a shirt that is knee-length or even longer.
• If the shirt reaches your ankles, it's called a Senegalese kaftan.
• A lace dashiki suit has a shirt made of lace fabric.

Colors for Special Occasions

Colors can have special meanings when wearing a dashiki for events like weddings or funerals.

Wedding Colors

• Grey is a traditional color for some West African weddings.
• Some grooms wear white dashiki suits for their weddings.
• Many couples choose non-traditional colors like purple or blue.
  • Purple and lavender are seen as colors of African royalty.
  • Blue represents love, peace, and harmony.

Funeral Colors

• Black and red are the traditional colors for mourning (showing sadness after someone passes away).

Dashikis in the United States

The dashiki became popular in America during the Civil Rights and Black Power movements in the 1960s. People started seeing the word "dashiki" in newspapers as early as 1967. The first company to make dashikis in the United States was New Breed of Harlem in New York City.

The dashiki also appeared in movies like Uptight (1968) and Putney Swope (1969). It was also seen on the weekly TV show Soul Train (1971). In an episode of Sanford and Son, the character Lamont wears a dashiki to connect with his African heritage. Famous African-American athletes and entertainers, such as Jim Brown, Wilt Chamberlain, Sammy Davis Jr., and Bill Russell, wore dashikis on talk shows. Even hippies started wearing dashikis to show their support for different cultural values.

Many musicians, rappers, and singers, especially African Americans, have worn dashikis. This includes stars like Beyoncé, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa, ScHoolboy Q, and Q-Tip.

In February 2023, a new lawmaker named Justin J. Pearson wore a dashiki when he joined the Tennessee House of Representatives. This caused some discussion among other lawmakers.

See also

• National costume
• African textiles
• Kurta
• Tunic
• Kitenge

Images for kids

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  A musician in Ghana, dressed in a dashiki