Who is Angelina?
What became known as the Angelina was the brainchild of Vlisco textile designer Toon van de Manakker (1927–2015). Using intricate geometries most likely inspired by Coptic funeral cloth and Ethiopian ceremonial tunics, van de Manakker synthesised his findings into this classic Java design in 1962.
After the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Black Americans started wearing the Angelina dashiki as a show of cultural pride. Its popularity spread like wildfire. By the late 60s this design had become a renowned symbol of Afrocentricity across the diaspora. It was worn by stars like Muhammad Ali, Jimi Hendrix, and Miriam Makeba. Nigerian musician Fela Kuti recalls how its US notoriety inspired Africans: ‘We were even ashamed to go around in national dress until we saw pictures of [Black Americans] wearing dashikis on 125th Street’. To this day, celebrities such as Rihanna, Zendaya and Beyonce are seen wearing a version of the Angelina.
But why is it called Angelina? The popularity of this print peaked in 70s Ghana around the time the song Angelina by The Sweet Talks was released, associating the garment with the colourful Ghanaian band and its music. But in the Congo they call it by other names, such as Miriam Makeba, or more recently, as the song title Ya Mado due to it being worn by background dancers for Congolese singer Fabregas.
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