“We really wanted the day to be an authentic African celebration, strongly reflecting our respective heritages,” says bride Sandiswa Sotashe of her wedding to Kwabena Shange. She, a South African woman from the Xhosa tribe, and he, Jamaican, it was important for the couple to blend their cultures into a meaningful, one-of-a-kind nuptials. Although she admits, “It ended up being heavy on the side of Xhosa symbolism, to be honest, but Kwabena loved and appreciated it.”
Xhosa traditional attire is another stripe of glory in Africa in addition to the world’s fashion industry. Like existing popular African prints; Kente, Ankara and kitenge, Xhosa traditional attire has a special history dating back to pre-colonial times and a unique origin from the Xhosa people of South-Africa. The attire is symbolic in nature, taking different shapes and forms depending on the occasion. Africans, being social people, hold ceremonies and symbols with high regards. However, with the recent changes in social psychology, symbolism has been replaced with purposeful fashion statements and creative wear in the fashion space, leaving ceremonies as the only thing of social significance that are still held in high esteem. Read more
