“My Outfit, My Identity”: An Ethnographic Study of the Akan of Ghana and the Basotho of Lesotho

Abstract

Culture is a way of life. It is anything that identifies a group of people; it makes them unique or different from others. The most striking symbol of culture is an outfit or attire. What people wear or how they dress (their outfit) projects their cultural identity. The Akan of Ghana and Basotho of Lesotho are typical examples of ethnic groups in Africa whose cultural heritage and identities are epitomised in their outfits. These ethnic groups are proud of their culture and unapologetic in putting on traditional attire or dresses that culturally identify them wherever they may be found. Akan women wear kaba (a top dress) with a slit that is stylishly designed by professional dressmakers using colourful kente (gorgeous) or other textiles and fabrics with matching duku (headgear) and bead ornaments around the neck and the wrist. The men wear colourful kente and joromi (tie-dye) shirts, smocks (fugu), or dashiki made from embroidered natural cotton materials. The Basotho are known for wearing expensive and beautiful Seshoeshoe (named after King Moshoeshoe, the founder of the Basotho nation) and likobo (a blanket made from animal fur) outfits with matching hats (molia-nyeoe). This ethnographic study investigates the raison d’etre for the unapologetic display of cultural outfits among the two African ethnic groups. The study, which employed the qualitative research methods of interviews and observation for data collection, found that the two groups are fond of their uniqueness because of their belief that without culture one is lost. The study concludes that Africa’s rebirth is an encouragement for Africans to project and preserve their heritage and identities.