Dashiki

/dæˈʃiːki/ noun

Definition

A loose, brightly colored pullover garment with decorative patterns, originating from West African clothing traditions and worn in Africa and the African diaspora.

Etymology

From Yoruba 'danshiki' or related West African languages. The word entered English in the 1960s as African cultural pride and the civil rights movement elevated African fashion in English-speaking countries.

Kelly Says

The dashiki became iconic during the 1960s-70s Black Power and Afrocentrism movements precisely because it was a visible, beautiful way to reclaim African identity and heritage—the word itself arrived in English dictionaries as a political and cultural statement, not just a clothing term.

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