Akanzu is a white or cream coloured robe worn by men in theAfrican Great Lakes region.[1][2] It is referred to as atunic in English, and as thethawb in Arab countries. The kanzu is an ankle or floor length garment. It serves as thenational costume ofTanzania as well as theComoros, where it is called akandu as well as athawb. The robe is also worn in some coastalMuslim regions ofTanzania andKenya. The men ofUganda consider it their most important dress. Kanzu is aGanda word ofSwahili origin, which means "robe" or "tunic". In Tanzania, the term is used interchangeably withkaftan.[2]
TheKiganda/Ugandan kanzu was introduced to the Buganda Kingdom byArab traders.[3] Kabaka Ssuuna was the firstKabaka of Buganda to wear the kanzu. After the Kabaka adopted the attire it became theformal wear of allBaganda men. The kanzu spread from theBaganda people to other ethnicities and is anational costume of Baganda men. (The Republic of Uganda has no pan-national costume for men as in neighboring Tanzania).
It is a variation of the Arabicthobe. Originally, the kanzu was made frombarkcloth. Today the kanzu is made fromsilk,cotton,poplin, orlinen. Linen kanzus are the most expensive. The main difference between the kanzu and the Arabicthobe is the design.
The traditional kanzu has maroon embroidery around the collar, abdomen, and sleeves. The embroidery is called the'omuleela'. Some modern designers create a design of the kingdom emblem (shield, spear, and low-lying lion) lying at the lower part of the muleela. The major center of kanzu knitting and production is Mende, Uganda, but they are widely sold around the central business district in Kampala in places such as Kiyembe, Nakivubo, and other assorted shops.[4]
The kanzu is worn atwedding ceremonies during the introduction (also known as theKwanjula). During theKwanjula the groom's family is required to appear dressed in kanzu and they must also present a kanzu to the bride's family.[1][3]
The kanzu is worn with asuit jacket,blazer, orsport coat. It is customary for important persons to wear the kanzu with a blackbisht.[1] Traditional attire for women in Baganda is theGomesi.[1]
In popular culture, Ugandan clothing was featured in the film,The Last King of Scotland.[1]
InTanzania, the kanzu was introduced byArab traders and missionaries fromOman who were conductingdawah.[1] The Tanzanian kanzu is identical to the Arabicthobe. Originally, the kanzu was made fromsilk. Today, due toIslamic restrictions on silk garments, it is made frompolyester or other synthetic fabrics made to resemble silk. The distinctive feature of the Tanzanian kanzu is thetassel that hangs from the collar.[5][1] In some families, the tassel isperfumed with African oils or Arabicattar (oils) beforewedding ceremonies. The kanzu is always worn with akofia, a small embroidered cap.[5]
In the West, and in many Arab countries, the Tanzanian kanzu is sold by merchants as anOmani thobe,Yemini dishdasha, orEmirati thobe. The best quality kanzus are manufactured in theUnited Arab Emirates. HKT is one of the manufacturers. InexpensiveSaudi- and Chinese-made versions are common.
Among theSwahili men of Tanzania andKenya, the kanzu is always worn with asuit jacket,blazer, orsport coat.[6] Forformal wear a Tanzanian man will don a kanzu, a suit jacket, and akofia (cap).[5]Tribal chiefs wear the kanzu with a blackbisht when attending a black tie event. A white or ivorybisht is worn towhite tie events. In many Western countries, the bisht is sold by merchants as aSaudi abaya orAbayah. According to custom, a kanzu must becrisp, that isdry cleaned andstarched, before it is suitable for formal wear.[5][6]
The kanzu is thenational costume ofTanzania, and is theformal wear of most of the tribes in the country. For informal events, a Saudi manufacturedthobe with amandarin collar or thedashiki shirt and akofia is the traditional attire. Although the Tanzanian kanzu was borrowed from Arab culture, it is worn by all religious faiths, includingChristians,Muslims,African Jews, and members ofAfrican traditional religions.[5]
InKenya, the kanzu is worn by Muslims of all tribes. Christians rarely wear the kanzu for informal events, including church services. Theformal wear for Christian weddings mainly use thedashiki shirt orkitenge shirt. Both religious communities wear akofia, a small cap with the kanzu. In Kenya, it is customary fortribal chiefs and MuslimImams to wear a blackbisht with the kanzu when attending a formal event. Kenya is the only African country that does not have anational costume,[7] thus, many Kenyan men wear Europeansuits ortuxedos for weddings and other formal events. Others have started to wear the Nigerian national costume, called anAgbada.[8] In Kenya, male Members of the Parliament are required to wear a European-style suit to sessions.[9]
InWest Africa, similar yet highly distinct clothing are worn by predominantlySahelian peoples. These include theSenegalese kaftan and theBoubou (often worn on formal occasions).
The kanzu is the traditional wedding attire for men in the Great Lakes region.[1] During wedding ceremonies it is customary for the groom to wear a white kanzu and akofia. In Tanzania and Kenya, the groom wears a black or whitebisht on top of the kanzu.[5] The groomsmen and other men who are members of the wedding party wear the kanzu with a suit jacket. In Uganda, the groom wears a suit jacket on top of the kanzu, and the bride's attire is thegomesi.[1]
In Tanzania and Kenya, the bride's attire is a whitewedding dress or the West Africanboubou.[6] Use of wedding attire characteristic of the Great Lakes region has spread throughout theAfrican diaspora. There are also some locals who prefer to wed in West African attire (see thedashiki).[7]
