Turban is Religion, Fashion, and Culture in Brazil and Worldwide

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For many, the turban is a symbol of black culture and beauty, but this accessory, full of meanings and functions, is also widely used by people from the East.

turbante
turbante

As well as being a symbol of identity and tradition for many African cultures, the turban also has a strong presence in other regions and peoples. For us, it is not only beautiful and practical, but also a symbol of attitude.

We’ve divided the history of the turban into two parts

  1. East
  2. Africa, Brazil and Fashion

We hope you enjoy and are inspired by the beauty of the turban.

1 Turban in the Orient

The exact origin of the turban is still unknown, but it is known to have existed before 570 AD, i.e. before the birth of Mohammed and the emergence of the Islamic faith.

Within Islam, the turban has an important religious function, being a material symbol that reinforces spiritual awareness, representing a boundary between faith and unbelief.

Tipos de turbantes no oriente
Tipos de turbantes no oriente

As it is in the head that decisions are made between good and evil, right and wrong, true and false, the turban, called a kawrah, envelops and protects the thoughts, reinforcing the choice of faith. It is traditionally worn only by men, but unfortunately the use of this type of turban is now often associated with images of terrorist attacks.

However, the turban is also the main symbol of the Sikh faith, an Indian monotheistic religion. In this tradition, both men and women must not cut their hair, but wear turbans to wrap it up.

On World Turban Day (13 April), Sikh men proudly display their exuberant turbans, inspiring new generations to keep the habit and religion alive.

Also in India, turbans are used as protection against the harsh desert climate and, without a word being spoken, they indicate the caste, financial status and religion of the wearer. In the Indian state of Rajasthan, it is said that every 12 kilometres the dialect and styles of turbans change!

1.1. Main types of turbans

The two best-known types of turban are the Safa and the Pagdi.

  • The Safa is a strip of fabric about 9 metres long and 1 metre wide;
  • the Pagdi is approximately 1.50 metres long and 1 metre wide.

Culturally, in some regions, removing the turban and placing it at someone’s feet is a sign of submission. In addition, exchanging turbans with another person symbolises the cementing of bonds of brotherhood.

The turban is so important that there is a turban museum in the city of Jaipur.

Many tourists visit the museum to buy original turbans. In the past, kings and maharajas wore turbans, setting the fashion for the population. Today, it remains an indispensable item at wedding ceremonies, especially for the groom.

The turban is part of oriental, African and Brazilian cultures and is often seen in fashion shows. More than just an accessory, the turban carries a rich and meaningful history.

In the continuation of our research (see part I of this post), we explore this accessory which is a subtle communication tool, a centuries-old garment, and which can be as practical, modern and glamorous as it can be simple and chic.

2. Turban in Africa, Brazil and Fashion

In Africa, fabrics wrapped around the body are a fundamental part of the culture, and turbans complement this garment, making up the visual and symbolic whole.

Turbans are worn by both men and women, and in Black Africa, the so-called gelê turbans have various social and religious functions, as well as being an important fashion element.

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What is the meaning of the Gelê Turban?

The gelê is a type of turban traditionally worn in Black Africa, especially in some West African cultures. The meaning of the gelê is multifaceted, encompassing social, religious and aesthetic aspects.

  1. Cultural Identity: The gelê is a symbol of identity and cultural belonging, often associated with specific ethnic groups.
  2. Social Function: It can indicate social status, function within the community and even the stage of life of the person wearing it.
  3. Religious Expression: In many African religious traditions, gelê is used in ceremonies and rituals, representing spirituality and connection with the Orixás or other deities.
  4. Protection and Strength: Gelê is also seen as an element of protection, wrapping around the head and thoughts, symbolising strength and resilience.
  5. Fashion and Style: In addition to its cultural and social functions, the gelê is a fashion accessory, allowing for personal and aesthetic expression.

In short, the gelê is much more than a simple accessory; it carries a wealth of meanings that reflect the culture, religiosity and identity of those who wear it.

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2.1. Learn how to make a turban for carnival decorations

The turban, known as ojá or torço, is a versatile accessory that can be worn wrapped around the head, around women’s waists or supporting children on mothers’ backs.

A imagem da baiana foi apresentada pela Carmem Miranda
A imagem da baiana foi apresentada pela Carmem Miranda

In African religions, as well as being worn as a turban, it can wrap around the bust and end in a bow, or be tied around the atabaques during important ceremonies and tied to the trunk of a sacred tree – its colour varies according to the Orixá.

In Brazil, due to the strong African influence, the turban is transformed into a blanket that is wrapped around the head, making up the costume of the baianas, who are typical figures in the country, recognised for their struggle and the regularisation of their professions.

As in Africa, the turban also has a religious function in candomblé, umbanda and xangô in the north-east, with the number of flaps varying according to the Orixá. It represents seniority and respect, as well as serving as protection for the children of the saint, especially women.

In fashion, French designer Paul Poiret introduced the turban to haute couture in the 1930s, inspired by oriental clothing and exotic costumes, making it a hit with sophisticated women such as Simone de Beauvoir and Greta Garbo.

Soon after, Carmen Miranda popularised the accessory in Brazil.

Practical and functional, during the Second World War, many women wore turbans to hide the poor state of their hair. In the 1960s, the black pride movement, which originated in the United States, brought the turban back onto the scene as a form of affirmation for black people.

Recently, the turban has appeared in fashion shows by famous designers such as Prada and has made a comeback in Western fashion.

3. The Baiana’s costume and turban

In Bahia de Todos Os Deus (Bahia of All the Gods), with their pompous outfits, turbans, batas (long, loose blouses), twirling skirts (white or with a colourful print), lots of lacy and starched anagas, and bracelets and necklaces in the colour of their Orixá, the negras de ganho created a physical type that became traditional.

The costume we usually call baiano reflects the influence of African culture in Brazil, allied to the rebolado and ginga of the body.

Traje da baiana
Traje da baiana

The turban and balangandans indicate elements of the Islamic culture prevalent in North Africa (Sudan).

3.1. Balangandans

Balangandãs were part of the traditional clothing of black mucamas in the 18th and 19th centuries. Balangandã is an ornament of coloured beads or amulet, in the form of a figurine, fruit, medal, coin, key or animal tooth; a ring pendant, brooch, earrings or silver bracelet, worn by baianas on festive days.

Figurines, teeth and guides are used as amulets for protection, praise or to fight the evil eye. The figurine, in particular, is an amulet in the shape of a closed hand, with the thumb between the index and big finger, used as a personal ornament, for the home or business.

3.2. Coastal cloth

In Africa, the pano da costa was just a complement to black women’s clothing and had no religious connotations. From the 19th century onwards, in Brazil, it began to be linked to Candomblé celebrations.

In Africa, it is called alaká or alaká cloth. In Brazil, it became known as pano da costa because it came from the Ivory Coast (Africa) and also because it was worn on the back.

The first coastal cloths came on the bodies of female slaves, who had no clothes and were sold wrapped in the cloth. Later, the cloths were woven right here by slaves or their descendants on rustic handlooms brought to Brazil in the 18th century.

Woven on a handloom, the pano da costa is made up of strips two metres long and between 10 and 15 centimetres wide. The strips are then sewn together.

White is not the predominant colour in the pano da costa, which is usually striped or embroidered in high relief and coloured with varied patterns, depending on the Orixá of each nation.

3.3. Uses of the Alaká

Children of the saint wear the alaká wrapped around their torso. Slave mothers used to carry their babies on their backs (with their legs around their waists) during working hours, tied by an alaká.

Today’s baianas, descendants of Africans (from the Yoruba, Nagô, Mina, Fula and Haussá tribes), are the ones who put the most effort into their dress.

The Nagô, whose presence is most noticeable in candomblés, are short and fat, wearing bright, garish colours and wide, patterned skirts.

The Bahian Muslim (from Sudan in Africa), tall and slender, wears immaculate white. Sometimes she wears a rustic ‘pano da Costa’ on her shoulder.

3.4. Today’s Baiana

Today, as the typical costume and figure of Bahia, so often sung about by Dorival Caymmi, we can see the baiana preacher with her colourful trays of typical foods and sweets on the streets, hillsides and beaches of Salvador, or at Candomblé and Umbanda rites and religious festivals such as the Lavagem do Bonfim.

In Salvador, on 25 November, when the Day of the Baiana is celebrated, a mass is held at the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black People and cultural events such as Samba de Roda, Capoeira, Olodum and Afoxé are held at the Memorial das Baianas.

The baiana is a figure who brings with her the links of ancestral African heritageorality, cuisine, belief, mysticism, dance, ginga and, above all, colour.

You have to have ancestral blood to know what the baiana has.

The turban is history, religion, fashion and culture.

Tourist Guide to the Northeast, Bahia and Salvador

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