Ghana is a country with a very rich cultural heritage and this rich heritage emanates from the mosaic of ethnic cultures that make up this beautiful country. Each ethnic group has its peculiar traditions, customs and even clothes and regalia. However, today our spotlight uncovers some interesting facts about an attire that variedly spans across the Northern regions of Ghana, the Smock. “Batakari” is a hausa word which literarily means an outer garment implying an exterior gown worn over an inner wear. This hausa origins of Batakari was flowered with embroidery decorations especially at the front and consisted of a three piece wear, the flowing outer garment, long sleeve inner robe and a trouser. “Fugu” on the other hand comes from Mossi language which means cloth and it describes an amalgamation of strips of cloths woven on traditional looms to form a variety of loose garments common in Northern Ghana. The Dagombas call it “Bingmbaa”. It is important to note however that in Modern Ghanaian language “Batakari” and “Fugu” have been used interchangeably by Ghanaian fashion users and designers.
These varieties of names likely characterize the differing schools of thoughts concerning its origins, some believing that it ultimately emerged from the original weavers of the ‘Tang’ people who migrated from Karaga to Kpatinga village in the Gushegu district of the Northern Region. Others attribute its origins to the Mossis originally from Burkina Faso who migrated to settle in Northern Ghana and came with the craft who also probably copied from the Hausas during the barter trade system in the 8th Century A.D. Not a surprising mix of facts in tracing an exact historical account of its origins in Ghana considering the fact that some of the various cultures came from within Africa but at different geographical locations to present day Ghana. Despite these variations, it is fact that the process of acculturation familiarized the art in the savannah regions of Ghana thus the Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions.
The Dagombas have mastered this fashion with an artistic prowess that has given rise to expressive designs ranging from varied orientations, hand-woven characteristics, running stripes and weave structure. With most of the savannah indigenes preferring handspun yarns and hand sewn for its uniqueness and authenticity (fuzzier surface quality and pattern of holes), the tedious labor and duration as well as the presence of technology has made way for machine sewn or a combination of both in the smock fabric production. These classifications have given rise to different types of Dagomba smock with some classification based on purpose, sartorial design orientation or even general appearance including embroidery and design patterns. Dagomba smocks can therefore be classified into Yansichi/Dansichi (Sleeveless smock), Bingmaa Bari (Sleeve Smock), Kparugu (Chiefs smock for enskinment), Yebili (for title holders), Kpaakuto (Smock with large and wide sleeves) and Saandan Yibu (meaning “leaving early morning”).
Smocks are often thick and heavy but are mostly sewn as loose garments for good body ventilation making it comfortable to wear. Those with vertical pleats form draperies that swing rhythmically not only imposing in its adorner self-confidence and pride, but also these movements which is evident in the dramatic Northern swinging dance adds exceptional majesty and beauty to the dancers.
These smocks have come to be characterized as one of Ghana’s identity from its struggle for Independence, which Nkrumah wore at the Old Polo grounds in Accra as a symbolic liberation from the colonial hegemony to the construction of a new true Ghanaian identity. The Smock has also served as a unifier of the South and the North as one people despite multiethnic backgrounds with it being most recently declared as National Friday Wear to further advance this national unity. Its rich aesthetic appeal as well as philosophical connotations have fueled its global admiration and patronage. With the emergence of modern tools and technology, there is the need for further investment into the production of smock fabrics that transcend the conventional hand-weaving while maintaining its authenticity and beauty,not forgetting the more automated power looms capable of producing complex and simple fabrics with more creative designs that will continue to stun the world and promote this unique Ghanaian Identity.
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