Cotton Jamaican Flag Bandana

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Over many years we have come to associate Madras cloth, or bandana as it is more commonly known, with Jamaican festival celebrations. 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. 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. So, when you see Jamaicans proudly sporting their bandana attire, remember that you're witnessing an important part of the island's history and culture.

The shirt is plain and made from natural fabrics, usually cotton. It can be long-sleeved (in this case, men rolled up the sleeves while working) or short-sleeved. Festive shirts are usually white; though, everyday Jamaican shirts are also plain-colored and not too colorful. The red&white plaid pattern is sometimes used for male shirts as well; they are traditionally worn with white trousers. We have made Bandhani, Bandana and it is now a premier symbol of Jamaica’s Culture. This fascinating piece of fabric though, I guess you notice, is an essential part of us. National women’s costume of Jamaica consists of a long dress (or a skirt and a blouse), a headband or hat, and shoes. The garments are light, usually made from calico fabric. They cover most of the body, especially the bottom part. The authentic Jamaican women’s costume was calf- or ankle-length, the sleeves could be either long or short, the collar was modest. Locals from some of the islands wore trousers underneath the skirt for extra protection from insects.

The word is derived from bandhma which means ‘tying’ in Sanskrit. The ‘bandana’ handkerchief was originally made for home use and later exported. According to Senior, the characteristic plaid cotton material (with principal colours of red, yellow and white), known as ‘native woman plaid’ and ‘Madras handkerchief’, has traditionally been used to make the head-dress (‘head-tie’) and aprons of Jamaican peasant women. The same can be said about the quadrille, a bright-red dress worn by women dancers, which is a simplified version of the more complex flamenco dress. Hotels which feature Jamaican Cuisine or have a Jamaican eatery, as well as local eateries will also likely have bandana featuring in the decorations such as the table cloth or drapes. When we celebrate events such as Jamaica Day you will also see Bandana as a part of the decorative touch that private businesses and government offices adopt.

As mentioned above, the original bandana was actually a square of cloth (slightly less than a square metre of tie-dyed silk, imported from India in the 18th century. 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.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. Jamaican Revivalists often use bandana plaid to make their turbans, and it is incorporated in a ‘Jamaican costume’ when such is required, e.g. for participants in the ‘Miss World’, ‘Miss Universe’ or other beauty contests. 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. The distinctively beautiful fabric originated in what we now call Chennai (renamed in 1996), but was previously known as Madras in the eastern part of India.

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. If you are still wondering what do Jamaicans wear, the colonial era’s influence is still visible, as you can see if you follow the link. Although Jamaicans have a strong bond with their past, they didn’t mind incorporating elements belonging to other cultures. Called fusion, an artistic style popularised by music and theatre has also inspired fashion designers to create unique pieces. Jamaican clothes are gauzy but well-tailored. Most of the fabrics used to create colourful outfits, such as the quadrille dress, the Kariba suit, or the so-called Yucatan shirt, allow the skin to breathe during hot weather without compromising style. During the 19th century, when India was under British rule, the British began producing bandana cloth with a plaid pattern using cotton.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.