The Xhosa Tribe –Culture & Traditional Attire -Umbhaco
Umbhaco is a material used in South African traditional garments in formal and informal ceremonies. It is an extremely durable cotton that’s made to last when well-cared for. “Umbhaco” is also the given term for the traditional attire of the Xhosa speaki
The Xhosas migrated from southern Zaire in the 11thcentury and settled in most parts of southern Sahara and became part of the larger South Africa. The Xhosas are the second largest cultural group after the Zulu-speaking nation.
The Xhosa speaking group has various tribes with similar or related but divergent heritages. The major tribes include Bomvana, Mpondomise, Thembu, Xesibe, and Mpondo.
The word Xhosa is from a legendary leader known as uXhosa. Another theory suggests that the word Xhosa is derived from san or khoi-khoilanguage and it means ‘angry’ or ‘fierce’, the Xhosa being the fierce group. The Xhosa refers to their language as isiXhosa and themselves as amaXhosa.
Like amaZuluthe Xhosas’ originally wear skin garments but today many of them wear western type clothes. This has however not totally displaced their traditional mode of dressing. For instance, women must always wear dresses that cover the shouldresand upper arm and dresses with beads are a sign of the traditional ancestor worship. Hats but mainly scarves are worn in church and traditional ceremonies.
TheXhosatribe has remained famous for the bravura a wide range of their beadworks. Traditionally, the woman’s life stages were reflected on ornamentations and garments.
Other unique Xhosa dress includes intricately sewn designs on blankets that are worn by both men and women as shawls or capes. Today the traditional attire for the Xhosa is simply known as “umbhaco” which mainly refers to the fabric used to make the attire.
