Fulani Yaake Dance Tunic

Young Wodaabe men dress for the yaake dance with great care. Great care.

This sleeveless Fulani tunic from Niger, made of cotton in the 20th century, was worn for it. The cloth is dark indigo with narrow stripes, covered almost entirely with bright embroidery in red, orange, yellow, green and white. Rows of looped, comb-like motifs fill the shoulders. A lattice of star shapes occupies the center of the chest, and small figurative symbols run in vertical columns below. White binding and a zigzag trim edge it all.

Hang it up and the room gets dressed. The dancer, one assumes, was already ready.