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Gèlè — Head wrap
Category: Clothing
An elaborately tied head wrap worn by women, especially at celebrations.
The height and style of a gèlè can be a form of self-expression and status.
A gèlè is a single length of stiff, often starched fabric wrapped and folded into structured peaks rather than sewn into a fixed shape, which is why no two tied gèlè look quite the same even from the same piece of cloth.
At weddings and other major ceremonies, gèlè styles are often coordinated with the rest of an outfit, or with an aṣọ ẹbí — a matching "family cloth" worn by a whole group — making the head wrap part of a larger, coordinated statement.
Example: Màmá mi dì gèlè sányán fún ọjọ́ ìgbéyàwó náà. — "My mother tied a sányán gele for the wedding day."
Related words:
- Ìró àti bùbá — Wrapper and blouse, the outfit a gèlè typically completes
- Aṣọ ẹbí — Coordinated "family cloth" worn by a group at an event