BY MENGESHA AMARE
Traditional clothing in Ethiopia has remained a major part of the country’s identity and is pompously and assertively worn. Ranging from the iconic white ‘shemma’ worn by women to the brightly colored traditional outfits worn, Ethiopians take great pride in their diverse range of clothes, and it has been a good source of income for many. The country has also been exploiting the potential, though a lot remains to be done, to buttress economic essence out of the traditional clothing.
Traditional clothing in the country has been stylish with a mosaic of colors. The finely embroidered and loomed, colorful and timeless traditional clothing is certainly acceptable among the society especially during holidays and special occasions. It is also highly preferred by foreigners and/or visitors be they are local or those coming from abroad.
Cognizant of the fact that traditional cloth in Ethiopia still has an influence on the current clothing culture of the country; citizens are keen to wear these clothes. Besides, holidays create a seasonal business boom for most of the business in Ethiopia.
Amongst them are businesses and individuals who work in the area of traditional clothes, including weavers, tailors, designers and finally retailers are making money and doing business too. For the Easter holiday, the shops of designers and retailers in Shiro Meda displayed a wide array of traditional clothes with different price ranges.
Having the greatest value of traditional clothes value in terms of introducing the culture of the country as well as their economic significance in earning foreign currency in mind, The Ethiopian Herald talked to Ango Shamena, a weaver and traditional clothing distributor, to have a piece of information on how traditional clothes help foster business making apart from reflecting cultures, tradition and norms of the society.
He said people are going back and forth between the shops that line both sides of the main street, looking through the many styles of traditional dresses and accessories on offer. As to him, Shiro Meda, which is commonly known as the paradise of cultural clothes, has provided customers, be they are at home or abroad, with both ready-made and custom traditional clothes for both women and men, and helps operators gain a great deal of money.
As to him, producers and business owners have been exporting high quality traditional clothing to different foreign countries thereby accumulating a great deal of foreign currency. “Since the Ethiopian millennium, people’s perception of traditional clothes has completely changed, Ango said and adding; “people used to think that traditional clothes were only for the elderly, but not now. Besides, the business is cyclical, and holiday and wedding seasons are major boom times for the shops.”
As to him, weavers produce handmade clothes from dir (cotton yarn) and tilf, the colorfully woven patterns in the cotton fabric. The clothes then go to embroiderers, and then it is finally sent to the retailers or directly to the buyers. These clothes are also significantly useful in helping the country earn foreign currency.
As tom him, some clothes are made from factory-made menen fabric. The fabric is directly sent to the tailors who embroider the clothes. After that it is sent to the people who use sewing machines to put the garment together.
According to Ango, hand-made products are more expensive than the ones which are made on sewing machines, mainly due to the time it takes to produce. “Depending on the complexity of the design, the time it takes and the material used to finalize the cloth, we charge a relatively higher price for a single design,” Ango said.
Not only are traditional clothes in demand during holidays, but also curtains and bed covers. Most customers prefer going to designers to buying clothes to visiting renewed shops in this hub of traditional clothes. “For holidays, people mostly prefer traditional clothes with more traditional features than fashionable ones. The main
reason for the increase in the price of hand-made traditional clothes is the value that the professionals have started giving to their work,” according to Ango. He said, “Today, Ethiopia is still home to several of the most important traditional clothing brands, and these cloths are still with quality, elegance, and refinement. This is certainly a heritage of all these years of textile tradition that helped shape the Ethiopian style and culture around clothing.”
Furthermore, Ethiopian designers and stylists are still drawing inspiration from traditional Ethiopian dresses. This is why learning more about the Ethiopian clothing culture; allow having a deeper understanding of the traditional clothes reflecting cultures among different areas.
Indeed, when we talk about Ethiopian traditional dresses, it is essential to keep in mind that Ethiopia is quite a developing country housing a number of nationals and nationalities, he added. He said, “It is also possible to find different clothes associated with different religious celebrations or festivities. The traditional Ethiopian dress is generally characterized by colorful embroidered dresses. As far as the materials are concerned, cotton, wool and less frequently silk- are the most used ones.”
The regional variances of traditional Ethiopian dresses are almost endless! Just think about the fact that every village can have its own, unique traditional costumes. Each costume is, therefore, a piece in itself, and there are costumes for men and for women, for festivals and for every day, for the rich and for the poor, and for married women, among others.
Ethiopia is home to a cherished cultural heritage. In the same manner, traditional Ethiopian clothing is a mark of the country’s distinct heritage and identity. The culture they preserved through the centuries is reflected in the styles and patterns of their attire.
Ethiopians take great pride in their traditional clothing and enjoy wearing their traditional clothing to a variety of social events, such as weddings and religious ceremonies, but it is also seen worn in everyday life. It is a way for the people of Ethiopia to honor their heritage and showcase their cultural identity.
Although westernization is slowly infiltrating in the country and simply pulling the public to a state of cultural invasion especially with regard to women, a lot is being done to make citizens accustomed with traditional clothing, which is instrumental in preserving culture and introducing the country well to the rest of the world thereby earning more hard cur rency the country is demanding badly
Traditional pieces link people to history and meanings just as vibrant and beautiful as these designs more than just materials. Citizens especially women wear these as a means of preserving their culture and in some cultures pass these items down to the generation to come.
Traditional clothes are different, and people like to wear different clothes. Of course, the main goal of wearing different combinations is to look different from others and be attractive. However, not all people will decide on some modern designs that many celebrities and influencers are wearing, instead they would rather decide to wear traditional clothing and ensure their uniqueness in that way. However, in some cases making traditional clothes stylish and attractive is a trying task.
According to Ango, it doesn’t matter where people live; it is highly believed that they are proud of their respective nationalities; for instance, Ethiopians believe in their tradition and value their cultural and religious traits.
Traditional clothing is there for hundreds or thousands of years depending on people’s nationality. Yes, he said traditional clothing is a symbol of love citizens feel for their country, tradition, and culture; it is also one of the crucial steps to back national financial capacity.
Wearing traditional ethnic wears in the festivals is a way of showing love, respect, and regard to each other along with acknowledging the traditional values that have been passing on to one generation from the other since time immemorial. Such clothes are also significantly useful in helping the country secure foreign currency apart from cultural reservation.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 7 APRIL 2023
