by My-Island-Jamaica.com
Over many years we have come to associate Madras cloth, or bandana as it is more commonly known, with Jamaican festival celebrations.
But many may not know that this cloth is not originally Jamaican.
However this has not deterred the cultural associations that come with the clothes that Jamaicans make from this material being called the National Costume of Jamaica.
The original bandana, the material said to have been imported from India in the 18th century, was made from silk but was later copied by British manufacturers and put into mass production using cotton instead of silk.
Get ready... here's a bit of history to increase your knowledge of this adopted national costume.
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.
Historically, is was closely identified as the occupational badge of higglers or market women, although seldom these days.
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