All That Fashion In Umuofia
What To Expect When Traveling Here
Author: Leonardo, Editor-in-Chief
Fashion is a big thing in order for people to be able to express themselves. Umuofia is no different but they have some very interesting and unusual types of fashion.
Gender's play a big role in Umuofia since they determine what you are allowed to do and wear. On special occasions, women would "wear a coiffure which [would be] done up into a crest in the middle of [their] head. Cam wood [would be] rubbed lightly into [their] [Akueke] skin, and all over [their] body [would be] black patterns drawn with uli. [They] [would wear] a black necklace which [hangs] down in three coils just above [their] full, succulent breasts. On [their] arms [would be] red and yellow bangles, and on [their] waist four or five rows of jigida, or waist beads" (Achebe 71). Women are given so much fashion like necklaces and jewelry in which they can wear. Men on the other hand don't have as much fashion. On special funerals, men wear "raffia skirts and their bodies [are] painted with chalk and charcoal" (Achebe 121). When comparing the amount of things men and women can wear, it is a very uneven ratio. Keep in mind that these things are worn only on special occasions which is not very often. Men do however have one essential thing that only they carry around with them all the time which is a goatskin bag. This holds their special items such as "drinking horns--animals' horns (opi) or a special gourd shaped like a cup for drinking palm wine, as well as snuff-bottle and its spoon" (Ukwu 2013). On top of this bag being a form of fashion in which all men had, it also held their items so they could even enjoy something like a drink in a fashionable manner. One unusual thing to expect when traveling to Umuofia is the lack of clothing and fashion that the people wear on a regular day. Everyone wears a type of cloth or a rag only to cover up their private areas, nothing else. It is very out of the ordinary from what we are used to but this is a new culture which will have their own beliefs and choices.
Sources
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor, 1994. Print.
"Igbo People: Clothing & Cosmetic Makeup at the Time of Things Fall Apart." African Women Culture:. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.
http://africanwomenculture.blogspot.com/2013/02/igbo-people-clothing-cosmetic-makeup-at.html
"Explore Igbo Alusi, Nigeria Igbo, and More!" N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2016.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/145733737916184444/
Gender's play a big role in Umuofia since they determine what you are allowed to do and wear. On special occasions, women would "wear a coiffure which [would be] done up into a crest in the middle of [their] head. Cam wood [would be] rubbed lightly into [their] [Akueke] skin, and all over [their] body [would be] black patterns drawn with uli. [They] [would wear] a black necklace which [hangs] down in three coils just above [their] full, succulent breasts. On [their] arms [would be] red and yellow bangles, and on [their] waist four or five rows of jigida, or waist beads" (Achebe 71). Women are given so much fashion like necklaces and jewelry in which they can wear. Men on the other hand don't have as much fashion. On special funerals, men wear "raffia skirts and their bodies [are] painted with chalk and charcoal" (Achebe 121). When comparing the amount of things men and women can wear, it is a very uneven ratio. Keep in mind that these things are worn only on special occasions which is not very often. Men do however have one essential thing that only they carry around with them all the time which is a goatskin bag. This holds their special items such as "drinking horns--animals' horns (opi) or a special gourd shaped like a cup for drinking palm wine, as well as snuff-bottle and its spoon" (Ukwu 2013). On top of this bag being a form of fashion in which all men had, it also held their items so they could even enjoy something like a drink in a fashionable manner. One unusual thing to expect when traveling to Umuofia is the lack of clothing and fashion that the people wear on a regular day. Everyone wears a type of cloth or a rag only to cover up their private areas, nothing else. It is very out of the ordinary from what we are used to but this is a new culture which will have their own beliefs and choices.
Sources
Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. New York: Anchor, 1994. Print.
"Igbo People: Clothing & Cosmetic Makeup at the Time of Things Fall Apart." African Women Culture:. Web. 03 Nov. 2016.
http://africanwomenculture.blogspot.com/2013/02/igbo-people-clothing-cosmetic-makeup-at.html
"Explore Igbo Alusi, Nigeria Igbo, and More!" N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2016.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/145733737916184444/
Nice blog.
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