The Hausa live in northern Nigeria and are the largest ethnic group in the country (more than 20 million). Important, high-ranking men of the Hausa people (and their smaller, western neighbours, the Nupe) wear wide, richly embroidered garments such as these (known as ‘Bubu’, ‘Agbada or ‘Riga) on festive days over matching trousers. A ‘Hausa-Bubu’ is made from narrow strips of woven cotton. The strips are sewn together to form a fabric. From this fabric a ‘Bubu’ is then tailored. It is large and rectangular with a neckline. Both sides remain open and hang over the arms or are decoratively thrown over the shoulders. The bottom of a ‘Bubu’ is also left open for the legs for walking, however only the middle section is left open, not the entire width of the garment. Finally the ‘Bubu’ is elaborately embroidered from the neckline down, on the chest and on the back.
1: A ‘Hausa Bubu’ made from white cotton fabric with slightly darker, subtle stripes. It has a symmetrical ‘bib’ embroidered with gold-coloured silk. The ‘bib’ is divided into smaller surfaces and densely embroidered with entwined band motifs. This is framed with a border of six embroidered stripes that finishes below with a pointed end. On the back, behind the neckline the embroidery is asymmetrical. Dimensions: 140 cm x 190 cm.
2: A ‘Hausa Bubu’ made from a light cream-coloured cotton. The darker, sand-coloured silk embroidery under the neckline, on the chest is a typical pattern within the Hausa culture. In the centre lies the ‘two knives’ motif (two long arrowheads pointing down), to the right of this is a chessboard pattern and to the left is a sweeping spiral that ends in a geometrically embroidered circle. There is another spiral on the back that ends in a circle with a chessboard pattern. Dimensions: 126 cm x 262 cm.
3: A somewhat older ‘Hausa Bubu’ made from light brown cotton with white stripes. On the inside it is lined in places at the top and bottom. The light, cream-coloured silk embroidery is typical ‘Hausa’: again the ‘two knives’ motif sits in the middle under the neckline (two long arrowheads pointing downwards). To the left of this is the large spiral that ends in a densely embroidered circle. To the right of the ‘two knives’ motif is a large area that has been divided into smaller rectangles and embroidered with different motifs. Again the back displays another large spiral ending in a circle, this time filled with geometric grids. Dimensions: c. 140 cm x 282 cm.
4: Trousers made from light brown cotton with white stripes and a blue waistband. They probably belong to ‘Hausa Buba’ no. 3. Dimensions: c. 86 cm x 88 cm.
All four Hausa textiles: before or c. mid-20th century. (ME)

Provenance:
German private collection.

Lit.:
'African Textiles' by John Gillow, p. 100 and 101.