Abstract:
Costume design for widows in societies is a trickle down phenomenon from one ancestral
generation to another. In Builsa tradition, women have undergone Widowhood Rites creating
disaffection in terms of the dress code they wear. On the basis of this, the study aimed to
investigate the historical evolution of the current costume and (sew garment and accessories).
For this reason, the study adopted the practice based and descriptive survey technique to
ascertain responses regarding the evolution of the costume. Purposive sampling technique
was used to sample one hundred and twenty (120) respondents for the study. The main data
collection instruments used were questionnaire and observation. The study found that the
shea tree components including leaves, fruits, shea butter and bark were predominantly used
by ancestors of the Builsa people as widowhood costume. Specifically, the leaves constitute
the most pronounced Costume adorn by women during Widowhood Rites celebrations.
Therefore, these components were identified and printed on hand woven “fugu” fabric to
reflect the colours of the shea tree components and its accompanying accessories. The study
recommends that traditional leader should adopt the design for mass production so that
widows can have access to them any time they are in need. The designs should also be
adopted and used by widow to bring about sanity and also preserve the nudity of widows.
Description:
A Thesis in the Department of FASHION DESIGN AND
TEXTILES EDUCATION, Faculty of VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, submitted to the
School of Graduate Studies, University of Education, Winneba in partial
fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Master of Philosophy
(Fashion Design and Textiles) degree