Headwraps and African hats come a long way and have been in existence since the beginning of time. Wearing a doek or covering your head holds deep cultural meaning and symbolism; from showing respect to marking one’s status. Today, however, headwraps and head coverings have become a cultural fashion statement and may no longer prescribe to the meanings or rules of years gone by. We take a look at the different head coverings used by a few cultures and tribes in South Africa.
Zulu:
Zulu hats are traditionally worn by married Zulu women, especially during religious and cultural ceremonies. The hats come in varying styles and colours and have become a cultural artifact and symbol of Zulu women’s identity.
The hat is called “isicholo” in Zulu.
Sotho:
The Basotho hat is an iconic artifact of the Basotho tribe. Known as “mokorotlo”, the cone-shaped, woven hat has a distinctive topknot, which symbolises the unification of Lesotho. The shape of the hat depicts a mountaintop, which is visible from King Moshoeshoe 1’s tomb.
The hat can be worn by both men and women.
Xhosa:
The Xhosa headwrap is called “iqhiya” which is traditionally worn by married Xhosa women. In Xhosa culture, a new bride cannot address elders bare-headed and thus wears a black “iqhiya” as a sign of respect towards her elders/in-laws – similar to the Zulu culture, barring the doek’s colour.
Ndebele:
The North Ndebele people residing in the Limpopo province wear elaborate headwraps called “amacubi”.
The amacubi is a head covering that can be in the form of a beaded headband or a knitted cap.
Married Ndebele women must always wear some form of head covering as a sign of respect for her husband.
Despite being worn as a fashion statement in today’s era, head coverings in African culture are an important cultural token that symbolise our identification, status and respect – across all tribes.
Which other South African tribal head coverings are you aware of? Let us know.
*Facts from SAHistory and images from Pinterest.
