Middle Belt Fashion Identities: Guide to Textiles, Garments, & Cultural Codes

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Among Middle Belt Igbo communities, clothing is a language. It communicates social rank, marital status, communal role, and ritual participation. Each outfit is carefully chosen for its colour, fabric, beadwork, and headgear. These choices convey messages to those familiar with local codes: the depth of coral beads, the layering of wrappers, the height of a gele, or the embroidery on a man’s tunic all signify precise cultural meanings.

Middle Belt Igbo communities maintain these practices. Dress signals identity not just through style but also through colour, pattern, layering, and ornamentation, which form a visual map of status, lineage, and ceremony.

 

Region Overview

The Middle Belt is Nigeria’s cultural crossroads, bridging the North and South. Its people are agrarian, communal, and festival-loving, with weaving, dyeing, and bead-making traditions deeply tied to identity.

• Benue – Tiv, Idoma, Igede, Etulo
• Plateau – Berom, Afizere, Ngas, Mwaghavul, Tarok, Goemai, Pyem, Ron, others
• Kaduna South – Atyap (Kataf), Bajju (Jju), Ham (Hyam), Adara, Agworok (Kagoro), Ninzo, Nunku
• Niger – Nupe, Gbagyi, Kambari
• Kogi – Ebira, Igala, Bassa Nge, Oworo
• Taraba & Adamawa – Jukun, Chamba, Kuteb, Mumuye, Wurkun, Bachama
• FCT/Nasarawa – Gbagyi, Gwandara, Alago, Eggon
  

Despite their diversity, common threads run through their wardrobes: handwoven cotton, symbolic beadwork, layered wrappers, and a strong palette of red, white, black, indigo, and gold.

Group 1: Benue Tribes

Tiv

• Textiles & Colours: The Tiv are famous for the Anger cloth, bold black-and-white stripes symbolising unity and resilience. Deep blue or green variations appear in sacred ceremonies.
• Garments: Men wear tunics with wrappers; women wear layered skirts with blouses. Titleholders add multiple layers of authority to convey their power.
• Beads & Accessories: Red coral beads = authority and maturity. Worn in weddings, initiations, and festivals.
• Headgear: Men wear matching Anger caps; women tie wrappers or light headscarves.

Idoma

• Textiles & Colours: The Idoma palette is red and black, representing strength and ancestry. White is sometimes added for ritual purity.
• Garments: Women wear wrappers and blouses with ichafu (head ties). Men wear simple tunics with wrappers or trousers.
• Beads & Accessories: Red coral beads highlight status; minimal jewellery signals modesty.
• Headgear: Women’s ichafu height can mark marital role; men wear simple caps.

Igede

• Textiles & Colours: Blue-and-white striped cloths reflect ancestral weaving traditions.
• Garments: Men wear short tunics and wrappers; women wear layered skirts and fitted blouses.
• Beads: Blue and white beads for festivals.
• Headgear: Modest caps for men; simple head wraps for women.

Etulo

• Textiles & Colours: Raffia and cotton, often natural earth tones.
• Garments: Wrappers with embroidered edges.
• Beads: Important in weddings — red for maturity, white for purity.

Group 2: Plateau Tribes

Berom

• Textiles & Colours: Raffia and cotton in earthy reds, browns, and creams.
• Garments: Men wear tunics and trousers; women wear skirts with blouses. Cloaks are added for festivals.
• Beads & Accessories: Red or amber beads show rank.
• Headgear: Men wear feathered caps for dances; women wear woven head wraps.

Afizere (Jarawa)

• Textiles & Colours: Cotton fabrics with bold weaves. The Asharuwa dance costume features red, white, and black patterns.
• Garments: Men wear tunics; women wear wrappers with blouses.
• Beads: Heavy bead necklaces in festivals.
• Headgear: Agwom chiefs wear decorated caps.

Ngas, Mwaghavul, Tarok, Goemai, Pyem, Ron

• All share handwoven fabrics with bright dyes.
• Tunics and skirts are common, with beads used in age-grade rituals.
• Feathered or beaded caps mark elders and dancers.

Group 3: Kaduna South Tribes

Atyap (Kataf)

• Textiles & Colours: Indigo and earth tones.
• Garments: Wrapper layering is typical.
• Beads: Beads mark initiation stages.
• Headgear: Simple caps for men; tied scarves for women.

Bajju (Jju)

• Garments: Embroidered blouses and wrappers.
• Beads: Colourful bead necklaces.
• Headgear: Caps for men, ichafu for women.

Ham (Hyam)

• Textiles & Colours: Colourful woven cotton.
• Beads: Red beads = maturity.
• Headgear: Decorative head wraps.

Adara

• Colours & Garments: Bright cottons with layered wrappers.
• Beads: Marital bead codes are essential.
• Headgear: Head ties for women; caps for men.

Agworok (Kagoro)

• Festival Fashion: Afan festival outfits include patterned cotton and feathered caps.

Ninzo & Nunku

• Garments: Cotton tunics; raffia for ritual use.

RELATED ARTICLES:

• Igbo Fashion Identities: A State-by-State Guide to Wrappers, Weaves, & Cultural Codes
• Yoruba Fashion Identities: A State-by-State Guide to Textiles, Garments, and Cultural Codes

 

Group 4: Niger Tribes

Nupe

• Textiles & Colours: Brightly embroidered gowns in gold, white, and blue.
• Garments: Flowing gowns with wrappers.
• Beads: Minimal, but gold accessories mark wealth.
• Headgear: Tall embroidered caps.

Gbagyi

• Textiles & Colours: Bold patterned wrappers.
• Beads: Red beads = authority.
• Headgear: Head wraps for women, simple caps for men.

Kambari

• Garments: Raffia skirts, indigo cloths.
• Beads: Few, mostly ritual.

Group 5: Kogi Tribes

Ebira

• Textiles & colours: Indigo and white cotton.
• Garments: Tunics for men, layered wrappers for women.
• Beads: Coral = prestige, white = purity.
• Headgear: Red caps for men, elaborate head wraps for women.

Igala

• Colours: White and blue wrappers.
• Beads: Royal beads for chiefs.
• Headgear: Ichafu for women.

Bassa Nge & Oworo

• Garments: Bright cotton and lace.
• Beads: Layered bead necklaces.
• Headgear: Head ties and simple caps.

Group 6: Taraba & Adamawa Tribes

Jukun

• Garments: colourful woven cloth, embroidered blouses.
• Beads: Necklaces and waistbands.
• Headgear: Caps and head wraps with adornments.

Chamba, Kuteb, Mumuye, Wurkun, Bachama

• Raffia and indigo clothes.
• Beads are used for age grades and rituals.
• The group also wears distinctive festival headgear.

Group 7: FCT & Nasarawa Tribes

Gbagyi (dominant)

• Wrappers: Bold, patterned cloth.
• Beads: Red beads for status.

Gwandara, Alago, Eggon

• Cotton, Ankara, and raffia cloth.
• White beads for ritual purity.
• Head ties for women; caps for men.

Colour Codes Across Middle Belt Fashion

• Red: Authority, maturity, ritual power
• White: Purity, spirituality, marital codes
• Black: Ancestral reverence (esp. Tiv, Idoma)
• Indigo: Ceremonial importance, sacred rituals
• Gold/Amber: Wealth, fertility
• Earth tones: Daily wear, humility

Recognition Cues

• Tiv → black-and-white stripes
• Idoma → red-and-black wrappers
• Berom → raffia + feathered caps
• Nupe → tall embroidered caps
• Ebira → indigo & white with red caps
• Jukun → colourful woven cloth
• Gbagyi → patterned wrappers + red beads
• Afizere → Asharuwa festival costume

Contemporary Designers and Adaptations

• Lanre Da Silva and Ituen Basi have adapted Middle Belt layering and beadwork into urban fashion.
• Abuja designers use Nupe embroidery and Gbagyi weaving for modern tunics.
• Benue cultural associations promote Tiv Anger and Idoma colours in pageants and fashion shows.
  

 

FAQs

1.  What do colours mean in Middle Belt fashion?

Red = authority, white = purity, black = ancestral memory, gold = wealth, indigo = spirituality, and earth tones = humility.

2. How can you identify tribes by clothing?

Tiv wear stripes, Idoma wear red/black, Nupe wear embroidered gowns with tall caps, Berom wear raffia with feathers, and Ebira wear indigo/white with red caps.

3. Why are beads so central?

Beads signal status, marital role, and ritual function. Coral, amber, and white beads each carry cultural codes.

4. Which festivals showcase fashion best?

Afan Festival (Agworok), Asharuwa Dance (Afizere), Tiv cultural festivals, and Nupe Day all display full attire.

5. How is Middle Belt fashion evolving?

Designers are adapting handwoven fabrics and bead patterns into urban wear while preserving cultural meaning.