Fashion in Africa. Miriam Makeba’s decolonisation of fashion

Miriam Makeba's African inspired fashion.

If only communicating was by the words, then African fashion would have disappeared. Miriam Makeba understood the effectiveness of matching music with fashion. She blended her sound and African fashion style to persuade democracy in South Africa.

For an example, Miriam Makeba kept her hair as purely African. Mchunu and Memela ( 2019: 84 ) elaborate that she performed in many countries including European countries such as America with her hair untouched. She denied the exoticism of white supremacists that was dominating in European and also in African countries. Mchunu and Memela ( 2019: 84 ) describes how she emphasised her political statement by resisting the influence of straightening and curling hair. By doing so, Miriam Makeba created an unusual look that helped her to gain fan’s. Garrin and Marcketti 2018 ( cited in Mchunu and Memela 2019: 77 ) studied that “ black people historically and contemporarily, hair has acted as a means of representing themselves and negotiating their place in the world.” Mchunu and Memela ( 2019: 77 ) concluded that she maintained her afro to “challenge the racist apartheid stereotype of a black person”

In the case of her femme fatale appearance, she managed to build her music foundation. Her earlier career displayed her pleasing to be recognised. According to Mchunu and Memela ( 2019:74 ) “ images of Makeba during the 1950s period are of a starlet in knee-length swing and pencil skirts reminiscent of 1950s Sophiatown glam”. This indicates that she succeeded to determine the audience interest. Leppert 1993 ( cited in Mchunu and Memela 2019: 70 ) found that the fashion worn by performers “also help to transliterate musical sound into musical meaning by means of the sight”. Mchunu and Memela ( 2019:

75 ) highlight that her performances mostly took place in the informal private houses called shebeens. Shebeens are dominated by men who come to buy alcohol. Her appearance grabbed men’s attention to listen her music. Mchunu and Memela ( 2019: 87 ) mentions that she started by being “the Sophiatown starlet; then the quintessential African seductress and lastly, she was an activist”. Miriam Makeba corresponded her look and music while considering the audience

However, Miriam Makeba becoming more political active was also described by the dresses she adopted. Mchunu and Memela ( 2019: 85 ) stated that She aligned her political activism together with her music and attires. The decolonised style of clothing developed as a pinpointing symbol of her ethnicity. Mchunu and Memela ( 2019: 68 ) confirms that Miriam Makeba developed fashion to “claim her citizenship”. Mchunu and Memela ( 2019: 80 ) highlights that the African textile fabrics she used influenced the look of being Mama Africa. ( K.Mchunu and B.Memela. 2019 ) emphasise that She organised herself with the use of relaxed silhouette, African bracelets and headdresses such as “khepresh” and isichoko. Her dress code communicated her political activism non-verbally.

Miriam Makeba use a batik printed dress refers to “African print”. The image shows her in a khepresh headgear refers to the “Egyptian king” (Anon. n.d).

Miriam Makeba’s hair and choice of African dresses has reinforced the freedom in South Africa. It is through her understanding of her followers that kept them engaged on her actions. Her hesitating the western modern style proved the intentions of her political movement.

Reference list

Anon. n.d. African print and khepresh (image). (Accessed 1 July 2020).

Anon. n.d. Drum magazine (image). Available: https://www.google.com/search?q=Miriam+makeba+United+states+1950s&rlz=1C1SQJL_enZA907ZA907&sxsrf=ALeKk00gBjKpNLOjvOBj3DPaVKS2MaM8fA:1593529883347&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-2Yq16anqAhXzTxUIHSIGAIEQ_AUoAXoECA8QAw&biw=1344&bih=608#imgrc=uSg3MeyQ96OUKM&imgdii=d8l3afL_po5V0M (Accessed 1 July 2020)

Anon. n.d. Miriam Makeba performing at the shebeen (image). Available: https://www.google.com/search?q=Miriam+makeba+United+states+1950s&rlz=1C1SQJL_enZA907ZA907&sxsrf=ALeKk00gBjKpNLOjvOBj3DPaVKS2MaM8fA:1593529883347&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-2Yq16anqAhXzTxUIHSIGAIEQ_AUoAXoECA8QAw&biw=1344&bih=608#imgrc=KIXuw--nef1RHM (Accessed 1 July 2020).