Even in case you’ve by no means heard of shuka material, there’s a excessive likelihood you’ve seen it in photos. Typically crimson with black stripes, shuka material is affectionately generally known as the “African blanket” and is worn by the Maasai folks of East Africa.
To offer you some transient background information, the Maasai are a semi-nomadic folks from East Africa who’re recognized for his or her distinctive lifestyle, in addition to their cultural traditions and customs.
Dwelling throughout the arid lands alongside the Nice Rift Valley in Tanzania and Kenya, the Maasai inhabitants is presently at round 1.5 million, with the vast majority of them dwelling on the Masai Mara Nationwide Reserve of Kenya. They’re recognized to be formidable, sturdy warriors who hunt for meals within the wild savannah and stay intently with wild animals.
The Maasai identification is usually outlined by vibrant beaded necklaces, an iron rod (as a weapon) and naturally, crimson shuka material. Whereas crimson is the commonest color, the Maasai additionally use blue, striped, and checkered material to wrap round their our bodies. It’s recognized to be sturdy, sturdy, and thick — defending the Maasai from the cruel climate and terrain of the savannah.
Shuka’s origins
So how did this conventional clothes come about?
The phrase “conventional” should be taken with a grain of salt. Earlier than the colonialization of Africa, the Maasai wore leather-based clothes. They solely started to switch calf hides and sheep pores and skin with business cotton material within the Sixties.
However how and why they selected shuka material continues to be unclear as we speak. There are a number of colleges of thought. One in every of them is traced again by centuries — materials have been used as a method of fee throughout the slave commerce and landed in East Africa, whereas black, blue, and crimson pure dyes have been obtained from Madagascar. There have been truly data of red-and-blue checked “guinea material” changing into very fashionable in West Africa throughout the 18th century. Uncover the very best time to go to Kenya!
One other fascinating rationalization is that the Maasai material was introduced in by Scottish missionaries throughout the colonial period. The Africa Inland Mission was established in 1895, and till 1909 Kenya was its solely operation. This appears like a logical rationalization — in any case, shuka material does resemble the Scottish plaid or tartan patterns.
Today, nonetheless, shuka material is normally manufactured in Dar es Salaam and even in China, bearing textual content equivalent to “The Unique Maasai Shuka” on the plastic packaging. Sarcastically, the Maasai actually do purchase and put on shukas made in China, packaged in plastic.
Revolution of the Maasai blanket
Latest years have seen shuka material popping up within the trend world and gaining fame all around the globe.
A Kenyan clothes label has taken inspiration from the patterns of the shuka material to supply garments and equipment in vibrant tribal prints. Nairobi-based Wan Fam Clothes was based by brothers Jeff and Emmanuel Wanjala to pay homage to Kenya’s Maasai tradition.
By turning a conventional garment into modern city put on, they hope to fulfill the elevated demand for extra native merchandise that spotlight their heritage. Even Louis Vuitton featured crimson and blue Maasai checks of their Spring/Summer time assortment 2012. Be taught in regards to the the Maasai leaping dance!
Shuka material’s previous should be a thriller, nevertheless it appears to be like set to beat the longer term.
Getting There
G Adventures runs quite a lot of departures in Kenya encompassing a variety of departure dates and actions to cater to totally different tastes. We’re thrilled on the prospect of exhibiting you this massive blue planet of ours — try our small group journeys right here.
