Papers by Maria A . N . Caley
Studia Fennica Historica 28, 2024
The Vakwangali people of Kavango West Region in Namibia have lost much of their cultural identity... more The Vakwangali people of Kavango West Region in Namibia have lost much of their cultural identity through encounters with traders, missionaries and colonial rulers. This chapter focuses on the traditional yihiho headdress of Vakwangali women, which is a unique headdress embedded with cultural values that was jettisoned upon conversion to Christianity through the process of ‘cultural colonialism.’ The creative work presented in this chapter was partly generated by prior research on Vakwangali traditional clothing. A practice-based research methodology was employed to extract in-depth knowledge regarding the yihiho traditional headdress from narratives and how to design this form of textile. The textile prints were presented to the Vakwangali community at the Ukwangali Cultural Festival, and the responses of the community are also discussed in the chapter. In post-colonial Namibia, state-sponsored cultural festivals have been a central way to promote national cultural pride and to restore cultural identities. This chapter is not an anthropological study of cultural festivals; rather it presents a creative methodology that links Vakwangali cultural identity in practice to Vakwangali Cultural Festival. The objective was to create textiles designs inspired by the yihiho traditional headdress with an attempt to revive its value and meaning. A creative methodology was adopted to reflect on colonial history and influence by acknowledging trauma and loss suffered through the forceful removal of the yihiho headdress.
THE JOURNAL FOR AFRICAN AND DIASPORA FASHION VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1, 2023
The rise of African fashion discourse has opened up an element for decolonizing what African fash... more The rise of African fashion discourse has opened up an element for decolonizing what African fashion is, how it is created, and how it keeps transforming over time. The purpose of this study is to highlight the distinctive ohorokova garment worn by Ovaherero women. The focus is on the adoption of Eurocentric style dresses that were then transformed by adding on an otjikaiva distinct headdress with aesthetics that keep changing given the preferred styles among Ovaherero women at a given time. This paper, in particular, takes a key interest inOvaherero women in Namibia, which includes seamstresses and fashion designers, to unpack the culturalvalues and etiquette that go with the tradition of making and wearing ohorokova and otjikaiva. Moreover, welook at how their values and attributes may have been derived from the traditional clothing of the Ovahererowomen in the pre-colonial era and how they may have been preserved in the postcolonial era. Our paper has reflected on early literature on Ovaherero traditional clothing, ohorokova, and otjikaiva and has cross-referenced informants from the Otjozonjupa region in Namibia. This method has enabled us to highlight the cultural values of Ohorokova and Otjikaiva, which have contributed to the cultural identity of the Ovaherero communities.
University of Namibia, 2020
The need to explore the Vakwangali traditional clothing as an inspiration for designing fashion c... more The need to explore the Vakwangali traditional clothing as an inspiration for designing fashion clothing arose from acquired knowledge and understanding that intersections exist between traditional clothing and fashion design. It also began from observations that while such intersections seem to have resulted in the development of fashion clothing from traditional clothing among, for example, Ovaherero and Aawambo of Namibia, it is puzzling as to why the same have not occurred among Vakwangali of Kavango West region. Traditional clothing of Vakwangali has a rich history that is embedded with value and meaning. However, this rich cultural heritage is not reflected in their everyday wear.
The main objective of this study was to explore various Vakwangali traditional clothing and styles over time; in order to explain the lack of transformation of Vakwangali cultural clothing from traditional clothing styles to fashion clothing. In addition this study aimed to suggest initiatives to transform Vakwangali traditional clothing into fashion through an exhibition fashion collection. Data was collected through interviews with key informants to gain in-depth knowledge regarding Vakwangali traditional clothing and its influence through a narrative style. Additional archival documents, regarding early establishment of mission work and schools, showed the influence of Christianity and colonial rule on Vakwangali traditional clothing including its transformation. Artefacts were also observed at the Maria Mwengere Museum in Rundu and Owela Museum in Windhoek to record details on craftsmanship of Vakwangali traditional clothing needed for fashion design. In addition, the online BAB Photography archive was studied to gain visual references to guide the designing process of the Vakwangali Fashion Collection.
The study found that besides the various Vakwangali clothing, which included leather aprons for men and women, different hairstyles and ornaments were used to adorn the body. The study also found that there existed different styles between gender and social status. Generally, factors such as trade, Christianity and changing of livelihood contributed to the lack of transformation of Vakwangali traditional clothing into fashion. Further, the study revealed that Vakwangali are longing to restore the value and meaning that was embedded into the traditional clothing and are open to initiatives of reviving Vakwangali traditional clothing. This study created possible ideas for transforming Vakwangali traditional clothing into fashion from which Vakwangali fashion collection was created. The study recommended that different projects should adopt the suggested styles for different occasions.
Books by Maria A . N . Caley
Studia Fennica Historica 28, 2024
This chapter studies the Oshiwambo name for Saturday, Olyomakaya, which translates as tobacco day... more This chapter studies the Oshiwambo name for Saturday, Olyomakaya, which translates as tobacco day. The name Olyomakaya derives from late nineteenth-century Finnish missionary activity among the Aawambo. Missionaries distributed tobacco on Saturdays and encouraged the recipients to come to church the following day, and soon people started calling it Olyomakaya. This chapter explores the history of Aawambo and the missionary use of tobacco, but also how tobacco use and Olyomakaya are remembered in contemporary Aawambo culture. The missionaries did not introduce a new custom when they donated or traded tobacco, but they made use of a local tradition of smoking and chewing tobacco, as well as using tobacco as a means of payment, and sharing it as a sign of friendship. While some missionaries opposed the use of tobacco, the Owambo kings and chiefs were adamant that they should be supplied with the product. Indeed, a failure or refusal to provide them with the commodity often angered them and had the potential to jeopardise the entire mission endeavour. In Aawambo cultural memory, Olyomakaya is also remembered in terms of local culture; as the missionaries' pragmatic extension of indigenous tobacco practice and as a means of fostering companionship and unity.
Studia Fennica Historica, 2024
The Vakwangali people of Kavango West Region in Namibia have lost much of their cultural identity... more The Vakwangali people of Kavango West Region in Namibia have lost much of their cultural identity through encounters with traders, missionaries and colonial rulers. This chapter focuses on the traditional yihiho headdress of Vakwangali women, which is a unique headdress embedded with cultural values that was jettisoned upon conversion to Christianity through the process of ‘cultural colonialism.’ The creative work presented in this chapter was partly generated by prior research on Vakwangali traditional clothing. A practice-based research methodology was employed to extract in-depth knowledge regarding the yihiho traditional headdress from narratives and how to design this form of textile. The textile prints were presented to the Vakwangali community at the Ukwangali Cultural Festival, and the responses of the community are also discussed in the chapter. In post-colonial Namibia, state-sponsored cultural festivals have been a central way to promote national cultural pride and to restore cultural identities. This chapter is not an anthropological study of cultural festivals; rather it presents a creative methodology that links Vakwangali cultural identity in practice to Vakwangali Cultural Festival. The objective was to create textiles designs inspired by the yihiho traditional headdress with an attempt to revive its value and meaning. A creative methodology was adopted to reflect on colonial history and influence by acknowledging trauma and loss suffered through the forceful removal of the yihiho headdress.
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Papers by Maria A . N . Caley
The main objective of this study was to explore various Vakwangali traditional clothing and styles over time; in order to explain the lack of transformation of Vakwangali cultural clothing from traditional clothing styles to fashion clothing. In addition this study aimed to suggest initiatives to transform Vakwangali traditional clothing into fashion through an exhibition fashion collection. Data was collected through interviews with key informants to gain in-depth knowledge regarding Vakwangali traditional clothing and its influence through a narrative style. Additional archival documents, regarding early establishment of mission work and schools, showed the influence of Christianity and colonial rule on Vakwangali traditional clothing including its transformation. Artefacts were also observed at the Maria Mwengere Museum in Rundu and Owela Museum in Windhoek to record details on craftsmanship of Vakwangali traditional clothing needed for fashion design. In addition, the online BAB Photography archive was studied to gain visual references to guide the designing process of the Vakwangali Fashion Collection.
The study found that besides the various Vakwangali clothing, which included leather aprons for men and women, different hairstyles and ornaments were used to adorn the body. The study also found that there existed different styles between gender and social status. Generally, factors such as trade, Christianity and changing of livelihood contributed to the lack of transformation of Vakwangali traditional clothing into fashion. Further, the study revealed that Vakwangali are longing to restore the value and meaning that was embedded into the traditional clothing and are open to initiatives of reviving Vakwangali traditional clothing. This study created possible ideas for transforming Vakwangali traditional clothing into fashion from which Vakwangali fashion collection was created. The study recommended that different projects should adopt the suggested styles for different occasions.
Books by Maria A . N . Caley
The main objective of this study was to explore various Vakwangali traditional clothing and styles over time; in order to explain the lack of transformation of Vakwangali cultural clothing from traditional clothing styles to fashion clothing. In addition this study aimed to suggest initiatives to transform Vakwangali traditional clothing into fashion through an exhibition fashion collection. Data was collected through interviews with key informants to gain in-depth knowledge regarding Vakwangali traditional clothing and its influence through a narrative style. Additional archival documents, regarding early establishment of mission work and schools, showed the influence of Christianity and colonial rule on Vakwangali traditional clothing including its transformation. Artefacts were also observed at the Maria Mwengere Museum in Rundu and Owela Museum in Windhoek to record details on craftsmanship of Vakwangali traditional clothing needed for fashion design. In addition, the online BAB Photography archive was studied to gain visual references to guide the designing process of the Vakwangali Fashion Collection.
The study found that besides the various Vakwangali clothing, which included leather aprons for men and women, different hairstyles and ornaments were used to adorn the body. The study also found that there existed different styles between gender and social status. Generally, factors such as trade, Christianity and changing of livelihood contributed to the lack of transformation of Vakwangali traditional clothing into fashion. Further, the study revealed that Vakwangali are longing to restore the value and meaning that was embedded into the traditional clothing and are open to initiatives of reviving Vakwangali traditional clothing. This study created possible ideas for transforming Vakwangali traditional clothing into fashion from which Vakwangali fashion collection was created. The study recommended that different projects should adopt the suggested styles for different occasions.