IS CLOTHING MORE THAN JUST CLOTHING ?
In June 2024, the French capital will be abuzz with events such as Fashion Week, the perfect opportunity to open a discussion on fashion. Often reduced to an assembly of fabrics, clothing is now a language in its own right. Where words fail us, our clothes speak for us.
What if clothes were more than just clothes?
Sometimes a sign of distinction, sometimes a sign of identification, clothing stands at the crossroads between identity claims and cultural identity. It's the story of a history, both individual as it is collective. This dual nature is all the more striking when we consider the question of traditional clothing.
SAMAKAKA, A STUDY CASE
Samakaka has its roots in southern Angola, in the region of Huila region. It refers to a print based on the symbolism of the Mumuila tribe. These symbols are an important part of the tribe's history, since they were, at the time to communicate with neighboring tribes. It is in this sense that the Samakaka is, in many ways, a language in its own right.
The fabric's colors echo the national flag:
- Black symbolizing the African continent
- Red, symbolizing the struggle for independence
- Yellow, symbolizing the country's wealth.
Far from being a relic of the past, the Samakaka is an integral part of Angolan daily life, oscillating between the solemnity of special occasions and the banality of everyday life. The flagship fabric is thus charged with both cultural and sentimental value. A true character of Angolan daily life, it accompanies them through every stage of life: from birth to funeral.
THE RUINS OF A COLONIAL PAST
More than just the heritage of the Mumuila tribe, this traditional fabric is also a vestige of the cultural transformations that marked the country from the 16th century onwards. In fact, Samakaka is the result of a cross-fertilization between Angolan symbolism and European and Asian influences, which gradually infused the country's dress codes. Until then, clothing in southern Africa was mainly made from animal skins.
“TO GO BACK TO TRADITION IS THE FIRST STEP FORWARD”
African proverb
As bearers of symbolism, history and culture, clothing cannot be reduced to a simple assembly of fabrics. A clothing item is much more than just a garment. Delving into the history of the emblematic Samakaka fabric opens the discussion on the persistence of Western influence not only in African traditions, but also in everyday life. In fact, Samakaka can also be seen as a way of reappropriating WAX fabrics and reinscribing them in Angolan history.