 | ||
Aso oke fabric, (Yoruba: Așǫ oke, pronounced ah-SHAW-okay) is a hand loomed cloth woven by the Yoruba people of western Nigeria. Aso oke means top cloth in the English language. Usually woven by men, the fabric is used to make men's gowns, called Agbada, women's wrappers, called iro, and men's hats, called fila.
Contents
Types of aso oke
There are three types of traditional aso oke worn by Yoruba people.
Aso oke fabric is often worn with aran, a brown velvet with concentric designs.
Yoruba women's garment
When people speak of an aso oke, they are usually referring to the traditional Yoruba women's garment. It consists of four parts:
Formal wear
Nigerians around the world wear aso oke fabric for special occasions including holidays, weddings, funerals and chieftain title ceremonies. All followers of the Yoruba religion also wear aso oke fabrics and hats.