Cotton Jamaican Flag Bandana

Product Information

Bandana fabric in India started as square pieces of silk or cotton, large enough to be used as shawls. Jamaican folk dress is modest and comfy. But the colors are always bright and catchy. The traditional pattern for Jamaica is the red&white plaid pattern; the plaid calico fabric is handmade, produced by the locals, and very often used for the folk clothing. Many different fabrics were used to make the traditional clothes: calico was the most popular cloth, but cotton, denim, drill, burlap, and chambray were also used. One of the best choices in men’s formal attire is the so-called Kariba suit, a two-piece suit adapted for Jamaica’s tropical climate. History reveals that the design has been introduced in the early 70s by fashion designers who grew weary of having had to follow the European standards in style suits.

Historically, is was closely identified as the occupational badge of higglers or market women, although seldom these days. Jamaicansoften wear this fabric during cultural exhibitions, and some tour companies have even incorporated it into their staff uniforms to showcase their national pride. Shoes were called wompers and made of grass and leaves. They were later made of materials that washed up on the beach. This type of foot covering was worn by men and women. As you move about the island you will see Bandana in places such as craft markets where it may be used to make the dress of dolls or accentuate a straw hat or throw pillow. You cannot miss it. Even some of the vendors in the craft markets may wear pieces which incorporate bandana as well.

By the way, here is another aspect of Jamaican heritage you be interested in learning about: The Importance Of JAMAICA DAY, follow the link to learn more about it. It is at ceremonial events such as Heroes Day, and cultural events such as Jamaica Day along with periods such as our recent Independence Celebrations. On these occasions, you will see a lot of bandanas utilized in various ways. You may see it in the decorations, dresses or accent pieces on garments. Quite memorable, and perhaps most famously, Ms Lou, The Honourable Louise Bennett-Coverly brought bandana to prominence as she wore it in her public appearances regardless of wherever in the world she was.

They say that even a mere rag has its own story. Well, imagine what kind of story a traditional Jamaica costume can tell us – a story with no beginning but with such a colourful, vibrant and ever-changing ending. Jamaican folk costumes are very bright, multicolored, organic, and breathy. Traditionally, they were made from locally produced handmade calico fabric. The pattern on the fabric was red&white plaid. An interesting piece of the Jamaican female folk dress is a headgear called “bandana”. It is connected to Asian traditions. Do you want to learn how and why? Read the article below. Bandana is more than a dutiful acquiescence to the past. It is something we warmly incorporate into our everyday life and vividly display at every chance not limited to national or cultural events. Yes, it is a great accent piece, but we use or wear Bandana because we have elevated it from a symbol of our enslavement to a symbol of our ‘Jamaicaness’, in which we take special pride. It is a decoration for national functions, adornment for the heads of our storytellers and woven into the costumes for groups such as the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) and the CariFolk Singers. You have also seen it when our Festival Queens, Miss World and Miss Universe representatives show off their national dress at the relevant functions.Men and women both wore slippers made from leaves and grass, later people started to use washed-up materials to make shoes. They were called “wompers” and consisted of a hard sole (rubber or plastic) and a rope to tie them to the feet.

The fabric is sold at local fabric stores such as Pablos and Pings or you can buy the full outfit from vendors at any of the popular shopping villages and craft marketsin Jamaica. Although some will conjure up a handkerchief in their minds upon hearing the term Bandana, this fabric so carefully intertwined with Jamaican culture is much more than a mere piece of cloth to dab at facial moisture of whatever origin. It is a symbol of where we are coming from as a people. However, Jamaicans have reclaimed the fabric from its slave connotations and it’s now a symbol of pride and distinction. It’s particularly popular among market vendors, singers and storytellers. Bandana cloth is in high evidence during ceremonial, cultural and independence holidays in Jamaica. Leather and fabric belts are used to keep the pants in place. In the past, just a piece of rope could be used in a day-to-day life instead of a belt.A dress or an ensemble of skirts and blouses made of bandana cloth is regarded as the Jamaican National Costume. A good time to catch this resplendent display is at the Independence Grand Gala or at the National Song Finals. Even from even the early childhood level within our schools, Jamaicans are educated about the significance of the Bandana. You'll often spot it worn by market vendors, singers, and storytellers, especially during Jamaica's ceremonial, cultural, and independence holidays. But perhaps the most visible use of bandana is in the costuming of singers, storytellers, and other performers of ‘Jamaican folk’.