Reflections of Durbar in the Diaspora

This article questions if the propensity of black men in globally dominant western countries to wear black or dark colours is an outcome of internalised subjugation and an adherence to westernised projections of masculinity. The article uses the 2018 Akinola Davies Junior film Zazzau as its backdrop to draw parallels of black masculinity that have engaged with colourful clothing.

Zazzau shows the annual festival of Durbar, a vibrant celebration at the end of Ramadan in Kaduna State, Nigeria, where the Emir of the region and his entourage use traditional dress and contemporary fabrics to demonstrate their sartorial elegance. The bold and flamboyant dress of the men is not only indicative of the pageantry of this procession but is reminiscent of the creative exuberance and stylishness of the annual carnivals in the Caribbean.

This article uses this comparison as a tool to discuss a reengagement with the creativity, styling and colour of black men’s clothing and demonstrates how an engagement with colourful design aesthetics maintains its sense of masculinity. Reflections of Durbar in the Diaspora draws parallels between the robes of the Emir, men’s costumes at carnival, and the tailoring of Abrantie the Gentleman to examine how social engagement, living culture and traditional fashion intersect to influence and impact the understanding of men’s style in Africa and the African Diaspora.