Hausa Baba Riga A
Nigeria
#CT-10
These magnificent indigo-dyed robes are the most highly regarded man's costume of the Hausa, Fula, Yoruba and many other peoples of the central Sahel countries. They are made of strips of hand-loomed cotton sewed side by side to form large panels of cloth that are then meticulously embroidered with local silk or cotton thread. The designs are complex symbols mixing pre-Islamic and North African motifs. Very wealthy men will wear several of these heavy robes, one over the other.
The Hausa name "baba riga" means "elephant robe", referring to the dignity and sheer volume of these garments. In West African tradition, Mohammed himself was said to have practiced tailoring, so the maalems (Koran teachers) of West Africa typically embroider robes along with making amulets.
height - 4'3"
width - 7'11"
The Hausa name "baba riga" means "elephant robe", referring to the dignity and sheer volume of these garments. In West African tradition, Mohammed himself was said to have practiced tailoring, so the maalems (Koran teachers) of West Africa typically embroider robes along with making amulets.
height - 4'3"
width - 7'11"
