Historian’s digging for its unique identity ever corner I say the most fascinating identity of Ethiopians is the dress. The dress has its own signature different from any other country and also very healthy.
It is made from pure cotton with every step been refined for the best and cool style. All handmade and decoration differ from ladies and men it is also different from region to region. We call it SHEMA.
The person making this dress is called SHEMANE. From the beginning of the making this unique dress there is a division of labor. The ladies prepare the main material called DER (Thread). This is made by collecting the cotton and using a small hand tool ENZERT the ladies spin the cotton to a tiniest thread each bundle is called DEWER. Once it is sufficient it is then given to the men to make the thread stretched and make it ready on the long weaving belt for the SHEMANE to weave it and make what is needed for.
This is the tools used to make the magnificent dress.
Enzert (The Thread making tool)
Medeweriya (The weaving tool)
Shemane (The artisan)
Tibeb (Decorative)
The different type of products
Gabi ; Long and heavy type of scarf usually used inside of a house during the cold season. There are different size and decoration but usually it is about 2.5 M or as the traditional way of measuring (5 KIND).
Netela ; This is mainly for the ladies but also use it when they put together with their traditional dress or going to church. The different colures and size of the decoration clearly identify which is for men and ladies. This is like a scarf for ladies is also for men but the way they wear it is difrent. The size also varies and ladies can put on there hair and to cover there hari or
Dress (Ladies); We call the ladies dress TIBEB. There are different region has its own style and decorative. One can say this is from Gonder or Lasta or even Hadiya . In the modern style the designers combine and make it modern as an European dress.
Dress (Men); The men has a different style called by the natives TENEFANEF of EJE TEBAB. The shirt is long till the uncle and the trouser is very narrow to below the knee.