Cotton Jamaican Flag Bandana

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A man’s traditional attire consists of loose white pants that are rolled up to the knees in the way they were worn while working in the fields.

As you immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Jamaica, you'll likely encounter a striking fabric known as "bandana," a source of pride for many locals. 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. Bandana is more than a dutiful acquiescence to the past. It is something we warmly incorporate into our everyday life and vividly display at every chance not limited to national or cultural events. Yes, it is a great accent piece, but we use or wear Bandana because we have elevated it from a symbol of our enslavement to a symbol of our ‘Jamaicaness’, in which we take special pride. By the way, here is another aspect of Jamaican heritage you be interested in learning about: The Importance Of JAMAICA DAY, follow the link to learn more about it. Over many years we have come to associate Madras cloth, or bandana as it is more commonly known, with Jamaican festival celebrations.

The Original Bandana

One of the best choices in men’s formal attire is the so-called Kariba suit, a two-piece suit adapted for Jamaica’s tropical climate. History reveals that the design has been introduced in the early 70s by fashion designers who grew weary of having had to follow the European standards in style suits. 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.

It is a decoration for national functions, adornment for the heads of our storytellers and woven into the costumes for groups such as the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) and the CariFolk Singers. You have also seen it when our Festival Queens, Miss World and Miss Universe representatives show off their national dress at the relevant functions.

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Historically, is was closely identified as the occupational badge of higglers or market women, although seldom these days. The fabric is sold at local fabric stores such as Pablos and Pings or you can buy the full outfit from vendors at any of the popular shopping villages and craft marketsin Jamaica. And, if you ever need a trustworthy, friendly and knowledgeablelocal guide, consider booking a private tour with us! 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.

How much do you know about Bandhani? What if I should change the word Bandhani to Bandana? Better? Bandhani and Bandana are really the same things. Yes. Bandhani is a type of fabric which has been around since approximately 4000BC. It may be loosely translated to ‘tied’ from Urdu or Sanskrit. Jamaican folk dress used by dancers, folk musicians, and tour guides (but seldom worn as a national costume) is called “quadrille dress” or “bandana skirt”. It has a long wide skirt, a ruffled blouse, and a matching headband. The most used fabric is cotton or calico. The most popular patterns are red&white plaid, maroon&white plaid, or madras. The traditional plaid cloth, locally produced in Jamaica, is also called “bandana fabric”. The quadrille dress is often worn with a headscarf made from a matching fabric and tied like a turban. 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. Men and women both wore slippers made from leaves and grass, later people started to use washed-up materials to make shoes. They were called “wompers” and consisted of a hard sole (rubber or plastic) and a rope to tie them to the feet. But perhaps the most visible use of bandana is in the costuming of singers, storytellers, and other performers of ‘Jamaican folk’.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.