Object Note
Part of a set with another item (ZI2022.501000a ALGERIA) also in the collection.
Object History
In 2022, Ms. Iman bin Rmaila, a journalist, graciously donated this item to The Zay Initiative. The artifact originally belonged to her mother, Zuwaina bin Omran, who was born on July 22, 1969. Zuwaina married Ahmed bin Rumaila at the age of 20, and together they had six children, including Ms. Iman.
This particular piece holds special significance as it served as Zuwaina’s pre-wedding henna outfit. Preserving it as one of her cherished possessions, Zuwaina intended for Ms. Iman to use it during her wedding. However, upon learning about The Zay Initiative’s cause, Zuwaina willingly chose to donate this valuable piece. She intended to contribute to the preservation and sharing of Algerian heritage with a wider audience through The Zay Initiative.
Object Features
This is a burgundy red velvet woman’s Algerian traditional ceremonial tunic robe (jebbah_Constantin) / (jebbah_fergani) featuring embroidered embellishment and short cap sleeves.
The robe has a stylized V neckline and the embellished in (couching) style embroidery using gilded braided cords possibly made of tinsel imitating traditional metal wire braids (fatlah).
The neckline has four tiers of spiral repeats in different dimensions with golden-coloured plastic sequin highlights. A fifth and fine tier of spirals forms along a central wavy branch with a flower at its base.
The skirt of the robe has two tiers of the same design. The top tier is near the waist and displays a large foliage replicating perhaps the ‘Tree of Life’. The second tier displays the same motif but is on the base near the hem of the skirt.
The arrangement repeats four times around the skirt both on the top as well as in the bottom tier. The bottom tier additionally has repeats of long branches with roundels of sequins interspersed between the previously mentioned arrangement and sits on a base of large circles encasing flowers.
The dress is lined with a plain grey thick cotton and is edged with a red net which is machine stitched and possibly also machine embroidered.
Links
- Belkaïd, Leyla, and Paul Balta. Algeroises: Histoire d’un Costume Mediterraneen. Edisud, 1998.
- Belkaïd, Leyla. Costumes d’algérie. Editions Du Layeur, 2003.
- Pichault, Pradette. Le Costume Traditionnel Algérien. Maisonneuve & Larose, 2007.
- Montaldo, Elisabetta, and Clotilde Sarnico. L’oro Del Mare: L’antico Costume Delle Donne Di Procida. Libreria Dante & Descartes, 2009.
- Snoap, Morgan, “Algerian Women’s Waistcoats – The Ghlila and Frimla: Readjusting the Lens on the Early French Colonial Era in Algeria (1830-1870)” (2020). Honors Program Theses. 114. https://scholarship.rollins.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1113&context=honors
- Belkaïd Neri, Leyla. “Croisements et Hybridations Des Modes Vestimentaires.” Paraître et Apparences En Europe Occidentale Du Moyen Âge à Nos Jours – Croisements et Hybridations Des Modes Vestimentaires, Presses universitaires du Septentrion, 1 Jan. 1970, https://books.openedition.org/septentrion/57558
- “UNESCO – Rites and Craftsmanship Associated with the Wedding Costume Tradition of Tlemcen.” Intangible Cultural Heritage, https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/rites-and-craftsmanship-associated-with-the-wedding-costume-tradition-of-tlemcen-00668
- https://www.mahj.org/fr/decouvrir-collections-betsalel/gilet-19172
- “Home.” Nationalclothing.Org, https://nationalclothing.org/africa/48-algeria/566-algerian-folk-clothing-from-different-regions-of-the-country.html
- https://algerianculture.tumblr.com/post/37551143532/76945-costume-researchand-more-algerian
- https://istizada.com/arab-clothing-the-ultimate-guide/
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