The Politics of Dress in Somali Culture

2 · The Origins of Somali Dress—Prehistory to 1800

CHAPTER 2 13 The origins of Somali Dress— Prehistory to 1800 The Somali are generally tall and well made, with a very smooth, dark skin; their features express great intelligence and animation, and are of a Grecian type, with thin lips and aquiline noses; their hair is long and very thick. —C. P. Rigby, 1867 In the nineteenth century, European writers often compared Somali dress to the clothing of the ancient Mediterranean, the peplos of Greece and toga of Rome. Although there are some aesthetic similarities between these garments and Somali nomadic dress, all being wrapped garments as opposed to pre-shaped,1 this style of dress is much less ancient in the Horn of Africa. Prior to the nineteenth century there were essentially two different ways of life in Somali territory—urban and rural—and two major categories of dress. Many urban dwellers were the descendents of settlers from the Middle East who had built homes along the coast and sometimes intermarried with Somalis; their dress consisted of styles from the Middle East and was often madewithimportedmaterials.Inruralareas,mostpeople(withafewnotable exceptions) were nomads, making a living by traveling with their herds of camelsandsheep.Theiranimalsprovidedmilkandmeataswellasleatherfor clothing, shoes, amulets, and other accessories. Somalis wore clothing, but it was crafted out of leather, not woven cloth like the toga. Other elements of dresswereproducedusinglocalmaterialssuchasfrankincense,camelbutter, henna, stones, and shells. There were differences in dress between men and women, but they were minimal. Men played a critical role in nomadic life by scouting for water and pastures, taking care of the herds, and protecting 14 The Politics of Dress in Somali Culture the household from raids and wild animals; women were equally essential, responsible for raising the children and baby animals, moving the household from place to place, making baskets to store provisions, and preparing food. Along with this responsibility came a great deal of autonomy and freedom of movement, which was reflected in their dress. In the first half of this chapter I discuss early patterns of trade and settlement in Somali territory. This is important for understanding how wrapped garments made of woven (usually imported) cloth were incorporated so easily into Somali nomadic dress. The cloth for the outfit given to Senator ObamawasprobablynotmadebySomaliartisans.Incontrasttomanystyles of ethnic dress that feature elements like elaborate weaving, embroidery, or dyeing,thedefiningfeatureofSomalinomadicdressisthestyleofwrapping. In the second half of this chapter, I discuss what dress was probably like in Somali territory prior to the 1800s based on early written accounts from Europeans as well as speculation about what kinds of materials Somalis would have had access to during that time. Cultures Crossing: Early Trade and Settlement Since the Horn of Africa lies at a crossroads between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, Somalis have a very long history of contact with people from other cultures. One of the earliest written documents still in existence that describesSomaliterritoryisThePeriplusoftheErythraeanSea,aGreco-Egyptian shipping manual from the first century Ad. Ports along the northwest coast of present-day Somalia were listed as providing “a great quantity of cinnamon . . . fragrant gums, spices, a little tortoise shell . . . frankincense . . . ivory and myrrh.”2 These products were in great demand in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome for use in religious rituals, cosmetics, ornaments, and the preparation of food. Although some of these products (such as cinnamon) came from farther away and were simply being relayed through the Horn of Africa by outsiders, Somali nomads also carried some goods (particularly frankincense)fromtheinteriortothecoastlineinordertoconducttrade.Unfortunately ,theauthorofthePeriplusdidnotdescribetheinhabitantsofthese areas or what kinds of imported materials they were seeking in exchange. The Axumite Empire, based in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea, was closely aligned with the Roman Empire and controlled much of the longdistance trade in the Horn of Africa. The Axumites also controlled the coast- The Origins of Somali Dress 15 line on both sides of the Red Sea (including present-day Yemen, which is still a major center of international shipping) until they were pushed back into the interior of East Africa by the Islamic conquest of northeast Africa. By the seventh century Ad, traders and religious exiles from present-day Syria, Lebanon, Oman, and Saudi Arabia were settling in the Horn of Africa. Because of this influence, Somalis were some of the earliest non-Arabs who converted to Islam. In many cases, Somalis intermarried with these settlers, who are credited with founding all the major coastal cities in Somalia. Like the Swahili coast (which includes the southernmost part...