Aesthetical tastes of academical and traditional costumes in academic processions

Abstract

The donning of academical costumes during academic ceremonies in universities and other tertiary institutions has a long history. The practice which has become the status quo was the preserve of university education until other tertiary institutions adapted it. Sharing close ties with university education, the academical costumes by its gradation, is used to indicate the social hierarchy, academic disciplines, faculty or department of wearers. To ensure strict compliance of academic costumes politics, many universities worldwide have initiated policies guiding the use of the costumes in academic ceremonies. The culture of wearing the costumes in academic functions was greatly influenced by ecclesiastical dress of the mediaeval clergy (apparel.com 2007). The adaptation of the costumes in formal school education, especially, in universities carry both denotative and connotative signification in the academic circles. It stands for the knowledge acquired and its appropriation for the society and the nation at large.

Decolonising Ghanaian Parliamentary Dress Code

“…Studies corroborate that Nkrumah's regular adornment of Ghanaian kente, and smock fashion (Figure 1 & 2) for national and international public occasions, turned such textiles into national and Pan-African symbols of freedom and independence which contributed significantly to the Ghanaian dress decolonisation agenda (Spencer, 1999; as cited in Warritay, 2017;Essel & Amissah 2015;Akwetey, 2007;Allman, 2004). "The main reason behind Nkrumah's advocacy for a dress cultural advancement for Ghana was premised on the case that clothing was one of the means through which the British used to colonise Ghana and as a measure of civilization" (Allman, 2004;Essel, 2019a;2019b;as cited in Essel, Navei & deGraft-Yankson, 2021, p. 36). Nkrumah felt that the use of indigenous Ghanaian dress fashion by Ghanaian top leadership for public occasions (Figure 2) would significantly help in decolonising the minds of Ghanaians as such actions signify a break away from the shackles of colonialism, serves as a dress cultural visual aesthetic order for Ghanaians and promote the use of made in Ghana clothing (Botwe-Asamoah, 2005;Essel, 2014;Essel & Amissah, 2015;Essel et al, 2021).…”

“…By doing so, he identified with all the subcultures of the nation thus forging a national unity" (Akwetey, 2007, p. 116). The dress codes of most Ghanaian presidents-elect (from 1960-2021) for their inaugural ceremonies centred on indigenous Ghanaian classics (fashion from Kente, Adinkra cloths, and Smock) to express their cultural identity locally and externally (Essel, Navei & deGraft-Yankson, 2021;Essel, 2019b;Akwetey, 2007). Essel (2019b) observes that the indigenous fashions adorned by Ghanaian presidents-elect consisted of symbolic kente weave patterns, the construal of colours and Adinkra motifs sourced from Ghanaian cultural repertoire with multi-ethnic nationalistic character and mindset with the aim of fostering unity, nationalism, a sense of belonging and display of their Ghanaian identity.…”

“…The dress codes of most Ghanaian presidents-elect (from 1960-2021) for their inaugural ceremonies centred on indigenous Ghanaian classics (fashion from Kente, Adinkra cloths, and Smock) to express their cultural identity locally and externally (Essel, Navei & deGraft-Yankson, 2021;Essel, 2019b;Akwetey, 2007). Essel (2019b) observes that the indigenous fashions adorned by Ghanaian presidents-elect consisted of symbolic kente weave patterns, the construal of colours and Adinkra motifs sourced from Ghanaian cultural repertoire with multi-ethnic nationalistic character and mindset with the aim of fostering unity, nationalism, a sense of belonging and display of their Ghanaian identity. In addition, Essel, Navei, deGraft-Yankson (2021) in their recent study on presidential fashion choice found that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo wore a Eurocentric threepiece suit for his second term of presidential investiture on 7th January 2021 which is alien to the indigenous Ghanaian dress cultural identity and, therefore, described as nonnationalistic in the context of Ghanaian national identity construction.…”

Clothing acculturation of North Korean female defectors in South Korea

“…To understand acculturation phenomenon deeply, Berry (1997) suggested two-dimensional acculturation model which present four acculturation types classified by directivities to immigrant's native culture and new society's culture: Integration type which means preference to both cultures, Assimilation type which is accepting only new culture, Separation type sticking to only native culture, and Marginalization type denying both culture. As one of major parts of a culture, clothing culture includes fabric-made body-covers, and all kind of items that construct human appearance like ornamentation, wig or perfume (Kim 2004;Essel and Kemevor 2016), and clothing acculturation herein refers to both attitudes and behaviors of immigrants toward the clothing culture of a new society with all items that organizes personal appearance (Chae 2003). Previous studies revealed that clothing acculturation appears in the gaps of clothing norm, aesthetic standard, body image, ethnic identity, and shopping propensity between immigrants and new society.…”

The Gown Must Go To Town

“…These questions, which he asked over five decades ago, are still relevant to the study of Africa Art. In my view, he made a metaphorical reference to the “gown” as a source of newly acquired knowledge with which to “fertilize the society” (Essel and Kemevor ). As observed in many academic art exhibitions, one of the primary focuses is to educate, entertain and inform the public or the observer about particular issue(s) in society.…”