Gomesi
A gomesi, also known as a Busuuti or Bodingi, is a colorful floor-length dress. It is the most commonly used costume for women in Buganda and Busoga.[1] Traditional male attire is the kanzu.[2][1] The gomesi has had many changes in its uses and design since its origination.
Origins
The best scholarship traces the origins of the Gomesi to 1905. The dress was introduced by a
The gomesi can also be traced back to the former, traditional style of clothing in Uganda called Lubugo, originating in 600 AD. [4] The women of Uganda adopted the gomesi once in was introduced by Europeans.[5] The implementation of the gomesi can now serve as traditional, formal, and everyday clothing.[4] When the gomesi is worn as causal clothing, it is usually one made of lighter weight and less formal fabrics.[5]
This article of clothing has gone through four main stages of evolution, with changes in material and decorative style, starting in the 1960's.
Design
The gomesi is a floor-length, brightly colored cloth dress with a square neckline and short, puffed sleeves. The dress is tied with a sash placed below the waist over the hips. The gomesi has two buttons on the left side of the neckline. Most gomesi are made of
The gomesi can be worn for any occasion, and in the rural areas it's the form of daily dress. Residents of cities and urban areas tend to wear it on special occasions such as funerals, and weddings. The gomesi is worn at wedding ceremonies during the introduction, also known as the Kwanjula. During the Kwanjula, all female members of the groom's family are required to appear dressed in Gomesi. Other times a gomesi may be worn include church functions, marriage betrothals, national formal events, and events where dignitaries are present.[8]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Tracing the Origin of Gomesi".
- ^ a b "Kanzu: The Arab dress that became Ugandan". www.newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
- ^ Richard J. Reid. A History of Modern Uganda. Cambridge: Cambridge university Press, 2017. p. 40
- ^ a b c d Luyiga, Author: Angela (2022-04-24). "History of the Gomesi-Busuuti – Nnabagereka Development Foundation". Retrieved 2023-10-21.
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has generic name (help) - ^ a b Stairs, David (2002). Okuwangaala:The Persistent Vitality of the Vernacular. MIT Press. p. 78.
- ^ a b Nabateregga, Mercy Gloria (2023-01-30). Evolution of Buganda traditional Gomesi (Thesis thesis). Makerere University.
- ^ "Tracing the Origin of Gomesi".
- ^ ISBN 978-0-313-01530-4.