Na wa o! Iya Jaiye fell on her bed yakata! So tired and exhausted from the long walk at the popular EKO market. She was chosen by her family members to get the aso-ebi and gele for her niece graduation ceremony. She had gotten a light green lace but was still indecisive about the head gear. She had seen many beautiful geles of different colors. From wine,to red and after various assessment,she eventually settled for orange. She struggled her way out of the market as she carried a sack of twenty orange geles on her head with a ‘osuka’ neatly folded in between…Gele drama,hahaha!
Today on FPN is the admiration of the head gear locally known as ‘Gele’. Nigerian women definitely have one thing in common when on their traditional attires…GELE! I so love Nigerian women,gorgeous beauties on their sophisticated geles!
In the Ibo culture, the Gele is usually worn over George Wrapper and blouse. In the Western Region of Nigeria, women can often be seen in their traditional attire of “Buba”, a type of blouse with long sleeve, and “Iro” the wrapper that’s tied on top of the buba. To complete this whole attire, a woman will wear a head wrap (usually in matching fabric). This head wrap is known as ‘Gele’.
Gele (pronounced gay_lay) is a Yoruba term for a woman’s head wrap. This piece of clothing can be as simple as a scarf-like or head-tie, to being as noticeable as the arched train of a peacock. A very “twist around” gele is usually taken from a fabric made specifically for that purpose. Though the wearing of Gele is common-place for women in the Nigerian Culture, the two cultures that’s especially noted for wearing the Gele in both its casual and sophisticated form are the Yoruba and Igbo Culture. Yoruba women can always be seen at home, in the market, at church, and special occasions, such as, a wedding, birthday,etc wearing some form of Gele as an accessory with their attire. Thus, the gele has now become a fashion statement. We also have types of Gele:
*Casual Gele – Gele comes in many different forms. The very casual ones are usually the ones made out of the same fabric as the outfit being worn. It can also be a regular polyester scarf or shawl that can sometimes be worn as an head-tie.
*Couture Gele – These are Gele made for the fashion conscious, the fashionistas of the Nigerian and other African culture. In this category are the Grand Swiss, Super Jubilee, and Hayes Gele. There’s even the Net Gele Head tie (a net-like, see through fabric gele).
These are imported gele made with the African woman and culture in mind. They are usually made in Switzerland and come in both solid colors, with designs or embroideries.
*Custom-Made Gele – Gele Aso-Oke
These are Geles that are made specially for special occasions, such as, traditional weddings,birthday, chieftaincy title celebrations, and other special occasion celebrations. Custom-made Geles are usually made with of Aso-Oke, a woven fabric by hand or machine on demand. Custom made aso-oke geles are made to the specification of the buyer. The design, fabric consistency and color are followed in details. The result is usually a blend of colorful prints and patterns. These colorful print fabrics are then used to make the Gele and Shawl (that drapes over the shoulder, or around the waist), or into the complete outfit which consists of the Gele, Shawl, Buba, and Wrapper. The price of custom-made geles is usually more than the ready-made geles. The wearing of Gele by most by Nigerian women is not a new concept. Nigerian women has been using the Gele as an accessory that completes the traditional attires since pre-colonial times. Today, the Gele continues to emerge in designs, styles, and uses.
It used to be that the Gele was only worn with either the ‘Buba’ and ‘Iro’ (the Yoruba woman traditional attire), or, the Igbo woman’s ‘George Wrapper and Blouse’. Not any more! Gele is no longer just for Buba and Iro.
In the present day,you can see the Gele being used on all types of attire, such as, skirt suits, pant suits, and cocktail dresses. The possibilities are endless as the uses of the Gele is still emerging. It’s a fact that Gele cannot be erased in the minds and world of Nigerian women. Where’s my peach Gele o? Need to tie one for a wedding asap…right now I can’t wait to tie my Gele and I’ll definitely look
very gorgeous in it. Oh sorry! Did I invite you? Of course you are invited…Laughing! Next Saturday,another aso-ebi tinz. Chai! *dancing mood tho*
(From Fashion n Style: Ota n Environs Publication)
