LAGOS
At the heart of the rich culture and traditions of the Yoruba people of southwestern Nigeria is a quintessential fabric – the Aso Oke – worn by men and women alike.
“I inherited the job from my late mother and I have taught my children, too,” Halimat Saliu, a renowned Aso Oke weaver, told Anadolu Agency.
Aso Oke, which literally means “top cloth,” is prized above all other cloth and is a permanent feature of Yoruba ceremonial.
“Aso Oke is not an everyday wear,” said Saliu. “It is worn on special occasions like weddings, traditional chieftaincy events, burials, anniversaries and cultural events.”
“People who plan any of these events will commission us to produce the cloth for them,” the weaver added. “They select their color and we make it available and they pay.”
A full-grown man needs six pieces of the special cloth for an agbada (men’s flowing gown) and a single piece for a cap or fila.
Women need one wide piece of the cloth to make a wrap, or iro.
One piece is needed for a woman’s ipele (shawl or shoulder sash); another for a head tie or gele; while a third is required for a blouse or buba.
The setting of the oguntoro, a local technology made from the branches of a rafia palm, and the thread determine what size or type of Aso Oke will be woven.
Traditionally, Aso Oke comes in different colors, according to which they are named by the Yoruba.
“Aso etu,” usually woven in royal blue and navy blue, is strictly for men. Named after the guinea fowl, it is likened to the bird’s speckled plumage.
Aso etu is popular with Yoruba warriors, royals and other dignitaries.
There is also the sanyan, described in Yoruba parlance as “baba aso,” or the “king” of clothes. Essentially for women, this garment generally comes in carton brown.
Then there is the alari, or the “baba ewu,” the best among women’s cloths. The Alari is woven in deep pink.
-Expensive-
Entirely hand-loomed, Aso Oke is similar to Ghana’s famous Kente weave – and just as expensive.
“Everything is done manually, except the spinning of the wool or reeling the thread,” Aso Oke weaver Nana Hawawu told AA.
“It’s not easy to weave Aso Oke because it’s time-consuming and takes its toll on health, since you sit down all through,” she said.
“For instance, the weaving of one single ipele could take two full days for an expert,” added Hawawu.
A complete Aso Oke could take more than a week to weave for a seasoned weaver – another reason why they are so expensive.
A single piece of medium-quality local Aso Oke goes for about 6,000 Nigerian naira (roughly $37) and a man needs six pieces for a complete Aso Oke.
“The cost again depends on what the customer orders and in what thread and set,” Femi Alaran, a male fashion designer known for sowing Aso Oke, told AA.
“This ranges from double net, which is the most expensive, followed by super net, crown-to-crown, ordinary or light net – and of course the wool/cotton, which, incidentally, is the one used by our ancestors,” he explained.
“We ask customers what they need and we help them get it. They [customers] may well get it themselves,” he added.
Although Aso Oke is highly cherished, very few people are learning how to make it – so supply may fall short of demand in the near-term future.
“Children are no longer learning it because it is hard to make and requires hours of hard work before a piece of Aso Oke is produced,” said Saliu, the weaver.
“I used to have many apprentices, but they complained of the difficulties and later left,” she recalled.
Saliu went on to urge the government to support Aso Oke weavers.
“The government should support us to keep this culture from dying,” she said. “We need machines to reduce the workload.”
What’s more, the local industry is now competing with Aso Oke imported from China – which are much cheaper than their home-grown counterparts.
“The difference [between local and imported Aso Oke] is clear,” insisted a proud Saliu. “You will spot the differences when you place them side by side.”
“Our own [Aso Oke] is thick and more original,” she boasted. “Our own reflects our culture and people, who really cherish the culture.”
