The South African Dandy

 

Where, does the African dandy come from?

From the self-styled fabrics of West Africa, the feather headdresses of East Africa, the jewellery and turban wraps of the North and the leather, fur coats and beadwork of the South. Transfer that, to the modern era: tracksuits, baggy and skinny pants, prints, patterns, and and and... The desire to out shine has always existed but in South Africa's case dandyism with European garments starts in the nineteen hundreds. 

A dandy is a man who gives a great deal of attention to his personal appearance.

The Diamond Dandies

The discovery of diamonds in South Africa began in 1867 which increased the world's supply of diamonds by 95%. African Kings And Clan leaders started taking advantage of the diamond wealth ordering their subjects to buy firearms which were used to fight European encroachment. Some cases Africa's would take uniforms of killed soldiers and others adapted more christian European look (suits and pants). 

The Modernization of warfare is most apparent in the Xhosa and Sotho, their lack of shields in stick fighting (Induku, Ho kalla or Melamu) unlike the Zulu who still retain their shields. It was a functional fashion adaption as they became more gun dependent.

In the early nineteens after rebellion, wars, and scorched earth policies. The native population faced famine and starvation most of the men had to go to the mines for an income. In the diamond fields of Kimberly, these men started wearing Euro-Christian clothing like suits. They become the first versions of Skhothanes, what was then called the diamond field dandies / Swenkas of Kwa-Zulu and Gauteng.

1913

The Native Land Act, 1913 aimed at regulating the acquisition of land, it prohibited the sale of land from whites to blacks and vice-versa. The act created Black reservations, then on the laws divided South Africa into separate areas for whites and blacks, forcibly removing people from areas not designed for their particular racial group. 

Indigenous cultures maintained much of their vitality, the succeeding generations developed and adapted new cultures and communities to answer their needs, at the urban towns near mining areas people formed new religious groups, burial societies, entrepreneurial co-operations, stokvels, sporting, musical and cultural groups.

Kasi

In the 1930s to the 1960s these urban areas were plagued by lawlessness and violence. The cities created criminal societies, who were cultural rooted much like AmaBhinca are cultural rooted in Zulu culture. Basotho regiments that fought in the world wars alongside with Russians started using Marashea as a pseudonym like the Vaal and the people who wear italian brands are called Matalian.

The gangs used violence to achieve gender domination and control over territory, these gangs used to show their material wealth. Gangs infested black reservations locations (loxion)/ in Afrikans: lokasie (kasi). Overwhelmingly young men participated in gangs, activities such as rape, kidnapping and harassment. The culture of violence of women and children had taken root in the early nineteen hundreds... as well as transactional relationships.

In the impoverished black reservations individuals who had money legal or illegal begin showing their material wealth by acquiring luxury clothing. The Johannesburg/Rand dandies, groups like the swenkas working class Zulu men who participated in amateur fashion shows, by wearing expensive designer suits with well known brands.

With music as an additional contributor acapella groups in the styles of isicathamiya, jazz in the styles of marabi and kwela, and traditional music forms of Maskandi and Famo.

Skhothane & Vintage

After the end of apartheid in 1994, many black South Africans took on new forms of cultural expression with the emergence of kwaito and house. The genres addressed issues such as poverty, inequality and urban experiences with the struggles and aspirations of marginalized communities in South Africa. The genres had a significant impact on South African fashion and lifestyle closely tied to urban youth culture. It inspired styles and trends, such as casual and streetwear. In the early 2000s Afro house became a more popular sub genre but in the 2010's once underground house sub genres (gqom & deep house) became main stream which were derived from afro house and kwaito. 

The two street cultures that opposed each other iziSkhothane and Mavintage/ Mabujwa. During the golden era of South African hip hop. The collision of street cultures during the night time fueled the groove culture of today.

The flamboyant skhothanes and their italian brand clothing, drawing large crowds with their material items. Loud VW Kombis in convoy and energetic dancing compared to the boujie kids who used to listen to hip hop and deep house who used to say when dancing the aim is not to sweat with less energetic dance moves. The boujie kids used to dress in formal, simi-formal or smart casual clothing a more minimalistic look or a vintage look hance the name Mavintage. Mavintage had a boujie look and a boujie dance style hance the street culture Mabujwa.

The hip hop street culture: flat caps, Bagging clothing and sneakers (Boyoyo-Manigga). The malting pot of cities fused the Mabujwa fashion and hip hop urban wear. The minimal look recycling, old clothing, thrift shops and small street (Used Cloths). From swenkas to Omsweko: unlike the 1950s, this new brand of omswenko had minimal approach. But the capitalistic consumption of luxury clothing did not just stop at skhothanes, Amabhinca and Matalian emerged furthering the continuation of the Material Culture.

Articles from Jabulani Mnisi and Mthobeli Ngcongo. University of Johannesburg, University of the Free State.

Video: The South Ahh Dandy

Next: History of Stokvels, Taxi Associations & Black Tax.