Wedding

70+ Pics Of Ijaw Traditional Marriage Attire

The Ijaw traditional marriage attire for the bride and groom always makes great show-stoppers because of the beaded accessories that they are adorned with. From the coral beads on the bride’s head to the ivory beads on her neck, wrist, waist, and ankles; you would confirm that the tribe knows their onions when it comes to fashion.

Ijaw Native Wear For Marriage Ceremonies

Fashion in Nigeria is taken as a very important aspect of the people especially when it comes to marital celebrations. At the marriage ceremony of the Ijaw people, their traditional dressing is fashioned to high tastes and bright colors ahead of the big day. Ijaw attires resemble the traditional attires of the Itsekiri and Isoko people.

Traditional Wedding Attire For Ijaw Groom

An Ijaw man’s clothing comprises of a simple shirt and trousers made with wax material, but at the traditional Ijaw wedding ceremony, the groom puts on native wear known as a ‘Bayelsa’. This ceremonial outfit is made up of a big shirt that has long sleeves, with a wrapper tied from the waist to the ankle, or strapped across the shoulder to the trunk.

Traditional Marriage Attire For Ijaw Brides

The Ijaw bride’s wedding attire consists of a stylish blouse and wrapper made with high-quality materials or fabrics. The outfit is adorned with beads and colorful gele or hair scarves. Brides from royal families may wear two wrappers and leave out the blouse, then alternate the gele for beautiful head crowns. The bridesmaids wear blouses similar to that of the bride and also tie wrappers.

Clans And Natives That Make Up The Ijaw Tribe

The Ijaw tribe in Nigeria consists of indigenes from the tropical regions of Bayelsa, Niger Delta, and the Rivers States. This tribe extends to include people from Edo, Akwa Ibom, and Ondo states. Eastern clans of the Ijaw people are the Nkoroo, Okirika, and Ibani. Opobo, Bonny, and Finima are all natives of the Ibani people. Kalabari is not majorly Ijaw people however, they are neighbours to Ijaw people residing in Rivers State, Nigeria.

Contrary to what most people think, the Ijaws are not Igbos. This confusion started when the Ijo and Izon subgroups of the Ijaw people were mistaken for the Igbo tribe. The Secretary General of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) confirmed this in an interview on 1st September 2000, where he mentioned that the Ijaw people do not speak Igbo, but Ijo; which is also a popular Nigerian language. He also noted that the only exception to this was the Boni area of Rivers State where some Ijaw natives speak Igbo as their second language.

Now we have clarified the natives and clans of the Ijaws, let’s see 74 trendy pictures of the Ijaw traditional marriage attire including the Rivers, Bayelsa, and Niger Delta bridal wear.