Reflections of Durbar in the Diaspora

Abstract

This article questions if the propensity of Black men in globally dominant western countries to wear black or dark colours is an outcome of internalized subjugation and an adherence to westernized projections of masculinity. It uses the 2018 Akinola Davies Junior film Zazzau as its backdrop, drawing parallels with other examples of colourful clothing in the context of Black masculinity. Zazzau shows the annual festival of Durbar, a vibrant celebration at the end of Ramadan in Kaduna State, Nigeria, where the Emir of the region and his entourage use traditional dress and contemporary fabrics to demonstrate their sartorial elegance. The bold and flamboyant dress of the men is not only indicative of the pageantry of this procession but is reminiscent of the creative exuberance and stylishness of annual carnivals in the Caribbean. This article uses this comparison as a tool to discuss a reengagement with the creativity, styling and colour of Black men’s clothing, and demonstrates how an engagement with colourful design aesthetics maintains its sense of masculinity. ‘Reflections of Durbar in the Diaspora’ draws parallels between the robes of the Emir, men’s costumes at carnival and the tailoring of Abrantie the Gentleman to examine how social engagement, living culture and traditional fashion intersect to influence and impact the ways in which men’s style is understood in Africa and the African Diaspora.

Ramadan Munggahan tradition in West Java: Celebrating Culture and Religious Values

“…Activities that involve social interaction, such as village cleaning, grave pilgrimage, and the tradition of eating together. Although in this modern era many traditions have been eroded, Munggahan still survives as a proof of local strength and wisdom in maintaining cultural identity amidst the onslaught of globalization (Alghamdi, 2020;Kirkland, 2021;Tantri, 2021). Its presence is not only an ancestral heritage that must be maintained, but also a reflection of the diversity and richness of Indonesian culture that must be maintained and preserved.…”