The politics of dress in Somali culture
By: Heather Marie Akou
Series: African expressive cultures; African expressive cultures
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Bloomington
Language: eng
Number of pages: 177
ISBN-13: 9780253356291; 9780253223135
Subjects: Social life and customs; Clothing and dress
Description: The universal act of dressing -- shared by both men and women, young and old, rich and poor, minority and majority -- has shaped human interactions, communicated hopes and fears about the future, and embodied what it means to be Somali. Heather Marie Akou mines politics and history in this rich and compelling study of Somali material culture. Akou explores the evolution of Somali folk dress, the role of the Somali government in imposing styles of dress, competing forms of Islamic dress, and changes in Somali fashion in the U.S. With the collapse of the Somali state, Somalis continue a connection with their homeland and community through what they wear every day.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.