Aso oke

Aso oke fabric, (Yoruba: Așǫ oke, pronounced ah-SHAW-okay) is a hand loomed cloth woven by the Yoruba people of western Nigeria. Aso oke means top cloth in the English language. Usually woven by men, the fabric is used to make men's gowns, called Agbada, women's wrappers, called iro, and men's hats, called fila.

Types of aso oke

There are three types of traditional aso oke worn by Yoruba people.

• Alaari - a rich red aso oke.
• Sanyan - a brown and usually light brown aso oke.
• Etu - a dark blue aso oke.

Aso oke fabric is often worn with aran, a brown velvet with concentric designs.

Yoruba women's garment

When people speak of an aso oke, they are usually referring to the traditional Yoruba women's garment. It consists of four parts:

• Buba - Yoruba blouse
• Iro - a wrap skirt
• Gele - head tie
• Iborun or Ipele - shawl or shoulder sash

Formal wear

Nigerians around the world wear aso oke fabric for special occasions including holidays, weddings, funerals and chieftain title ceremonies. All followers of the Yoruba religion also wear aso oke fabrics and hats.

See also

• Adire - Yoruba tie-dye
• African textiles
• Aso Oke hat
• Women's wrapper
• Agbada
• Kente cloth -- Woven by Ashanti people
• Barkcloth -- Woven by Buganda people

External links

• 2015/ 2016 Aso-oke Trends
• Aso-oke Gallery
• Yoruba clothing diagram with photos of men's and women's garments.