Object Number: T/NIGE/631.a-b

Collection: British Empire & Commonwealth

Object Name: clothing, headwear

Description: This is a man’s gown from Nigeria. The riga giwa (gown of the elephant) is a tailored gown made by Hausa people, derived from Tuareg Saharan riding dress, which spread through Nigeria and all of West Africa. The spread of this dress occurred as part of the spread of Islam throughout West Africa, but has now become a version of national dress, meaning not everyone who wears it is necessarily Muslim. Riga giwa (gown of the elephant) refers both to the huge size of the gown and the high political and social importance of the wearer. The embroidery and construction of this riga gown are all hand sewn. The material on the sleeves is very slightly different to that of the centrepiece - being a slightly darker blue and with strips of 50mm. The cream embroidery on the gown is a traditional, enlarged aska biyu, complete with the conventional spiral on the left front and back. These spirals are extensions of structural features which are used to strengthen the neck of the gown, known as the linzami and the sharaba (two constructional parts of the collar). The linzami is the piece of fabric added to the inside of the collar to make it asymmetrical; the sharaba is reinforced fabric which runs from the bottom left-hand corner of the collar up, alongside the linzami, to the top of the collar and then across the top of the collar, stretching beyond the neck opening. The geometric shapes accompanying the aska biyu have been embroidered using the technique of couching (these are the patterns made seen in the raised stitches). This gown is accompanied by a matching hat, made of the same material and is of a simple design.