Although the Gele is seen today as an accessory to make an outfit more chic and is mainly worn on a festive occasion, the finely detailed headscarves were an expression of culture, status and position for African women hundreds of years ago. If you want to make a good impression with a Gele today, it is important to understand something of the history of the Gele, and its meaning.
In the areas of Africa where fine cloth was produced, and especially in West Africa, women traditionally wore headscarves, shawls or knotted cloths over their short hair. These were large square or long oblong pieces of cloth with beautiful patterns. These pieces of cloth were folded and tied in various ways, depending on local customs, their marital status or in honour of a particular occasion. In their normal life, women simply wore simple headscarves. Young and unmarried women often went through life bareheaded. Married women wore shawls or headscarves as a symbol of their status.
High, wide, or intricate folds and designs were a sign of wealth and social status, and were worn by women who did little or no handwork. The style, manner of folding, and fabric used to make the Gele served to identify the woman who wore it, so that people knew what region the woman came from, what social class she belonged to, or what festival the Gele was being worn to celebrate. Today, the Gele shows the unique and varied fashion style of each woman who wears it.
The type of Gele worn by women today, with its folds and wide shape, originated with the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria. The Yoruba were among the first to wear headscarves as decoration, made from the unique fabrics of their region. The Yoruba invented a woven textile called Aso-Oke which is still used to make Gele today.
If you as a modern woman want to pay homage to your African heritage and look stunning at the same time, wearing a Gele is a perfect opportunity to do so. Women of all ages can now experience the joy of wearing a headscarf, and on any occasion, they too can feel like a Nigerian queen.
