Senegalese kaftan

A kaftan is a pullover men's robe with long bell sleeves. In the Wolof language, this robe is called a sabador, ^[1] in French it is called a boubou which is originaly a mandinka word that means to drag. The origin of boubou remains unknown or skeptical as it is commonly worn by the people living in the surroundings of the desert, Arab and Sub-saharian African alike who both share the same religion of Islam. It is obvious, however, that the French usage of the word boubou best fit the descritpion of Kaftan that is only common to the vocabulairy of the group of people speaking Mande languages whether Maninkakan, Bambaran,Dioula or Susu. Many forms of kaftan have evolved amongst which a popular one that has came to be called "The Senegalese kaftan" because of its massive production in the country of Senegal. The Senegalese caftan is an ankle length garment. It is worn with matching drawstring pants called sokoto, pronounced show-cowtow. Normally made of cotton brocade, lace, or synthetic fabrics, these robes are common throughout West Africa. The former President of Sierra Leone, Ahmed Kabbah, was often photographed wearing a kaftan. A kaftan and matching pants is called a kaftan suit. ^[2] The kaftan suit is worn with a kufi cap. ^[3] kaftans are formal wear in all West African countries. Men who are members of the Hausa tribe, wear these kaftans to formal events like naming ceremonies and weddings. In the United States, a kaftan is one of three formal suits, equivalent to the tuxedo, that African-American grooms select for their weddings. The other styles being the dashiki pant set, and the grand boubou, pronounced gran boo-boo. There are various other formal robes that are worn throughout West Africa, and with the exception of the Yoruba Gbarie robe, pronounced barry, most of these are a form of Islamic dress, see sartorial hijab. The kaftan is worn by Christians, African Jews, Muslims, and followers of African traditional religion. Furthermore, Senegalese kaftans are common among men of African descent in the African diaspora. The Senegalese kaftan is men's attire. In West Africa, and the United States, this robe is not worn by women. The women's robe is called a kaftan.

Kora player Toumani Diabate wearing a Senegalese kaftan.

Wedding attire

A white kaftan is worn for weddings. ^[4] The bride's attire is a buba and wrapper set or a woman's kaftan that is the same color as the groom's Senegalese. In Ghana, the Senegalese kaftan was featured in the movie Tears of Womanhood.

Informal kaftans

Another robe that is occasionally seen in West Africa is the short-sleeved Moroccan kaftan, also called a thobe, dishdasha, or jalabiyyah. These kaftans are used as pajamas or lounge wear. In the home, they are worn on top of underwear. Some men wear the Moroccan kaftan outside the home. When worn outside, it is customary to wear the Moroccan kaftan over a long or short sleeve t-shirt or turtleneck and a pair of pants, jeans, or shorts. The Moroccan kaftan is always worn with a knitted or crown style kufi cap. In Morocco, this robe is called a gandora. Although widely worn, Moroccan kaftans are not formal attire in any West African country. Recently, some tribes have started to wear the Tanzanian kanzu for informal occasions, including church services, or Friday prayers at the mosque, see the Kanzu article for further information.

See also

• Kanzu - tunic worn by men in East Africa
• Dashiki
• Kufi
• Wolof people
• Hausa people

References