National dress makes its debut

The Herald, 28 March 1980
INDEPENDENCE will not only mark the birth of the new Republic of Zimbabwe, it could mark the beginning of cultural identity and a national dress.

The new flag was unveiled on Wednesday and already a national dress has started to appear.

This is a wrap-around cloth with a picture of Prime Minister, Mr Mugabe, and the party symbol-cock.

Mrs Regina Chiwape, a stall-holder farmer, said she will be wearing a wrap-around cloth and a T-Shirt with “I voted Zanu (PF)”, written on it.

In addition, women will wear head scarfs of the same material as the wrap-around cloth.

But Mrs M. Marime said: “The majority of the young people who cannot afford the material and those who will not be able to get the material will be wearing T-Shirts bearing all sorts of Zanu (PF) slogans”.

Most women in the Salisbury area are in favour of the wrap-around cloth as a national dress.

They hoped the Government would encourage this type of dress.

But Mrs Joyce James hoped that the method be not adopted, as in some countries women were forced to wear the national dress.

Men also thought it is a good idea if women turned more and more to a national type of dress rather than the Western styles.

But, they were quick to point out that this process must if it is adopted, be voluntary.

In West Africa which has a long tradition of wearing national dress, the women looked very exotic and some of the material designs show a high degree of creativity, a number of the men interviewed said.

LESSONS FOR TODAY
People who advocate for a national dress argue that it gives a sense of national identity and is a unifier.

To be identified through one’s national dress, especially at functions outside the country is good.

It is hoped that current efforts by the First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa and other stakeholders will yield good results that will be accepted by the whole nation.

The mere fact that both men and women now wear traditional attire means that if Zimbabweans agree on fabric, print and colours in the First Lady’s venture, then it is all systems go.

There are plenty of seamstresses around. This will create thousands of jobs. There are also a variety of styles online.

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