Object Number: T/NIGE/581

Collection: British Empire & Commonwealth

Object Name: clothing

Description: This is a man’s gown from Nigeria. The kwakwata is a gown with two vertical pocket openings at the front, and sleeves that are narrower than those of other large gowns. The decoration is mainly concentrated round the neck and pocket openings. Older examples of kwakwata were made from saki cloth, but gowns such as this are now mostly imported from Bida where they were made from the Nupe. Some Hausa manufacturers still make these types of gown but they now only use machine-sewing techniques to do this as they have become less popular in the region. As they are still popular among the Yoruba people, kwakwata are still handstitched in this region. Strips are 5.5cm wide and hand-stitched together, all the embroidery is handsewn. The skirt has added panels of cloth, so that is flares out, this makes it useful for horseback riding. There are lines of embroidery around the collar of the gown. On the front, there is a repeated dagi (knot) motif, there is also a single dagi on the back of the gown, just below the collar. The hems of the sleeves and skirt are lined with a purple and white striped fabric (possibly silk).