Yoruba caps (Fila)

Even with evolving trends of fashion, one of the few things that haven’t changed is the act of wearing caps in Yoruba land, wearing of cap has a unique way of completing and beautifying the traditional attire you are putting on hence the popular saying that ‘’Your styling isn’t complete without a cap’’. Caps which are popularly known as ‘’Fila’’ in Yoruba land could be made (hand-made or sewn) from many clothing materials such as Aso-Oke, Damask, Adire, Velvet, Cotton and so on, also, it is very important that while putting on your cap, that the colour matches with any colour from the main clothing material you are putting on, except when it is a universal coloured clothing material such as White, black, brown etc.

Apart from enhancing our sense of fashion or complementing the beautiful attire we are putting on, cap has some other important advantages like protecting our scalp and face from the brutal ultraviolet rays of light especially during harsh weather conditions.

Even though the act of wearing caps with traditional attire is still commonly practice, it is important to note that how these caps are worn or tilted doesn’t really portray their meanings again, as these meanings are fast eroding with civilization. Some of the ways in which caps could be worn/tilted include:

• To the wearer’s right which would be indicating that the wearer is single
• To the wearer’s left this would indicate that such fellow is married.
• The younger ones tilt theirs to the front meaning that they will have a glorious future or that the future is theirs.
• Elderly ones tilt theirs to the back meaning that they have had their time
• The tilting of caps to right or left by princes or people of higher cadre in Yoruba land, in this situation the followers of these important persons must tilt theirs to the opposite of their Lords’ as a sign of respect
• Tilting of a man’s cap to the direction of his fiancé’s house whenever he’s within the neighborhood to tell other suitors to keep off from her lady.
• The Sango worshippers in the Yoruba land are known to tilt their Gobi cap inwards.

The types of cap we have in Yoruba land include: Abeti-aja, etu (made from aso-oke), Gobi, Kufi and Awolowo Cap. In Yoruba land some professions do have their own type of cap such as Farmers and it’s called Gberi-agbe, also the hunter’s own called Gberi-ode (These caps are just forms of Gobi cap with pouches)

Click on https://alawiiyeyoruba.com/learn-yoruba/ to learn the Yoruba language and more about the Yoruba culture.