Veiling and Muslim Women in African History since the Ottoman Empire

Abstract

In Africa, the culture of veiling by Muslim women is profound. While Muslim societies vary across Africa, several forms of textile and art feature in the use of veil. It is particularly important to state that veiling is historical as it had been embedded as a Muslim culture since the evolution and spread of Islam in Africa. It is also true that the Islamic integration of African cultures is very much alive and visible. The story of veiling became prominent and was influenced by Ottoman rule and cross-cultural intergroup relations through the Trans Saharan trade routes. This paper focuses on the history of veil as a spiritual, artistic, political and economic factors in the identity making of Muslim women in Africa. The historical method is adopted to interrogate the complexities associated with veiling as a Muslim culture using photographic representations, books and journals. Photographic representations of women’s dress in the Ottoman empire gives way to understand how the dress styles diffuse into African societies.