Hausa people have a beautiful culture and traditions. They have their local foods, traditional titles and costumes. The traditional title holders among them have their own royal attire that makes them different from others. In this article, we will be looking at Hausa royal attire and their names in English.

In every country and ethnic group, the existence of traditional title holders is acknowledged. The titles assigned to these people are mostly passed down from one generation to another. A good example is the Emirs in northern Nigeria, who are succeeded by mostly their offsprings. Part of what makes them unique is the royal attires they put, which are mostly rare and expensive or in some certain cases forbidden to the general populace. The designs are so spectacular that they make people accord them with special respect.

Such clothing are mostly worn during festive occasions such as festivals and ceremonies like the durbar, Eid festival or welcoming guests or simply day to day activities. The Hausa royal attire is exquisite in every sense of the word.

Hausa Royal Attires

1. Babbar Riga: This is a set of three pices of highly embroided garments.

2. Alkyabba: This is refered to as a big cloak, and is also embroided.

3. Wando: A pair embroided trousers that narrow towards the ankles

4. Yar ciki: a long-sleeved shirt that is worn with a babbar riga

Do you know that the popular shirt ‘Dashiki’ is a corrupted version of the Hausa term ‘Danciki’ which is the inner garment worn under babbar riga. pic.twitter.com/ncqvUPq46V

— Northpad Nigeria (@northpad) January 7, 2022

5. Rawani: distinctive form of turban worn on the head. It could either be Rawani harsa or Rawani dan kura

6. Hula: This could be either Kube cap or mostly Dara worn with rawani

7. Malfa:: A hat symbolizing royalty

8. Falmara: An outer garment worn on top of Yar ciki for decoration

9. Buje: A form of large trousers with embroidery

10. Babbar riga allura biyu: A form of babbar riga with decoration

11. Aska biyu: A form of babbar riga with a special form of embroidery

12. Jabba: An accessory worn externally

13. Kufta: A piece of highly designed accesory worn on top of babbar riga

14. Kaftan: A simple long shirt with or without embroidery

15. Takalmi: Highly decorated and colorful shoes adorned with feathers of peacoks or other exquisite animals

16. Sandar girma: The staff of office which symbolises royal authority

17. Laima/ Lema: Colourful umbrella used for shielding the royalty from the sun

18. Suka dubu: A form of hand woven embroidery on Babbar riga

19. Hular nadi: A long cap used for turbaning of turbans.