YORUBA CULTURAL & TRADITIONA DRESSING GELE

WHAT IS GELE?

GELE COMES FROM TWO YORUBA WORDS. GE & LE, which means to set or arrange something on top of another.

Gele is essentially a type of head tie worn by Yoruba women of West Africa, especially in Nigeria. In contrast to the head ties worn in some other African countries, Gele is usually rather large and ornate, and as a result, is associated with casual and ceremonial wear. To the Yoruba, gele is everyday usage head wrap whether for indoor or outdoor. Gele is a part of the everyday life of the Yoruba people.