Model of a Surinamese Creole headscarf

A headscarf folded into a 'broad tail'.‖ Through these headgear, women in Suriname passed 'secret' (though known to all 'insiders') messages to each other through various ways of folding, the pattern, and possibly the name of the cloth. \Angisas are almost always machine printed, although the first angisas were often white with some embroidery (van Russel-Henar, 1988:25). \Angisas are part of the costume of a kotomisi. The koto is a traditional costume that originated in Suriname and is often said to have been created by plantation owners and their wives to dress their enslaved wives in a "dignified" manner. however, literature (van Russel-Henar, 2008; van Putten, 1988) describes a broader development of the koto that really began after the time of slavery. The costume consists of a koto (skirt), jaki (jacket) and angisa (head scarf). The religious affiliation of the owner and the person being enslaved could be seen in the costume. Although it used to be everyday clothing, the koto later changed into casual clothing. The koto, and especially the angisa, spoke and speak a secret language (Henar-Hewitt, 1987:35).________________________ The passing on of messages to insiders by tying the headscarf in a certain way originated with the Ashanti of Ghana. They constituted the largest percentage of slaves in Suriname during the period 1730-1780. Not only the way of binding but also the pattern, the colour and possibly the name of the cloth are references to the mood of the wearer and her message at that moment. For example, there were cloths folded as: peacock-tere (peacock tail), boto-ede (boat head), lontoe ede (round head), this was/is for distinguished occasions and mourning. Prois ede, folding for weddings (prois = presumably prey, or to the European Prussia, referring to chic and festive. When the angisa is starched and folded, it is fastened with pins and kept that way, or sometimes folded again (but that costs money and time). The cloths are also always starched (with gomma, cassava starch, or candle wax, nowadays also modern types of starch). \Creole women tend to dress in global clothing, but angisas are certainly still worn. For example, there are women in European dress with headscarves, which is called palito. To be able to wear the angisa properly the hair is put up in a special way. If an older woman has too little hair, she often first folds a cloth around the head. The less hair that came out from under the cloth, the neater the woman looked. Very special is the festive costume with a head covering of three to four cloths, creating six to eight points. On birthdays angisa's are used as decoration against the wall, in baskets (made up as flowers: angisa bouquet or bobeti) or as souvenirs mini angisa's were and still are given. As a great tribute they were also spread out on the floor as a runner.When a new cloth comes on the market, advice is sought on its naming after which the cloth is opened, i.e. baptized. The following names can be distinguished: -new cloths which go back to an important event in world events; -orange cloths; -cloths which get their name from an event in the city; -sayings or sayings; -answers, signal cloths; -according to R.D. Simons, enslaved women from Africa wore only a pangi of blue cloth manufactured in Haarlem. In the beginning the upper body was bare. Therefore, according to the story, the Hernhutters designed a costume for the women. Thus the koto came into being (1959:9-12). \Headscarves are popular collectibles among Afro-Surinamese women.