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In August 1908, a white mob attacked Springfield, Illinois’s Black community, destroying homes and businesses and lynching two Black men. National outrage over the violence helped spur the movement that created the NAACP the following year.
MORE →Reflects the personal views, recollections, and perspective of the author, Mike Davis.
This is a personal recollection on the Move fire on May 13, 1985
 Girls wearing baju bodo or bodo blouse, worn with woven sarong. | |
| Type | Traditional blouse-dress |
|---|---|
| Material | Muslin, sheer cotton, silk |
| Place of origin | South Sulawesi, Indonesia[1] |
| Manufacturer | Buginese and Makassarese |
The bodo blouse, locally known as baju bodo (Buginese: ᨓᨍᨘ ᨄᨚᨏᨚ, romanized: waju ponco), is a sheer and transparent short-sleeved loose blouse, a traditional attire for women of the Bugis and Makassar peoples of South Sulawesi, Indonesia.[1] A bodo blouse is traditionally combined with a matching woven sarong that covered the waist below the body.[2]
The textile materials used in bodo blouse are usually thin, sheer and transparent; usually muslin, sheer cotton or silk. Muslin is the most favoured materials, it has loose threads that make it look transparent and suitable for hot and humid tropical climate.
As the name implies, the term bodo in the Makassar language means "short", which imply that this blouse is indeed short-sleeved.[1] The cut of bodo blouse is quite simple, it follows the square design with holes or openings for the neck, two arms and waist. Some designs might have a front opening; others do not which can resemble a loose tube. It is also quite loose to allow the blouse to fit all sizes, and the design highlights the drape quality of the sheer fabrics.
Bodo blouse is traditionally combined with a matching woven sarong that covered the waist. Commonly, Makassarese people wore sarong wrapped around quite tightly. However, in this outfit the sarong is deliberately fitted loosely to match the loose draped shape of the bodo blouse top.[2]
This traditional clothing is considered incomplete if not complemented by jewelry or accessories. Some of these accessories includes earrings, headbands, tiaras, tiered necklaces, long necklaces, wide bracelets, multiple thin keroncong type bracelets and metal belts. The accessories mentioned above are the complete variants which are commonly used by brides. Common guests usually wear less jewelry. This jewelry is usually made of gold or silver, while the simpler ones are made of brass.[2]
The sheer woven cotton as the materials of bodo blouse is believed has been made and used by people in Sulawesi since the 9th century.[2] In the past, bodo blouses were worn without undergarments, exposing the breasts and curves of the wearer.[1] However, after the local Bugis and Makassar people converted to Islam in past centuries, previously revealing clothing was subdued to be more modest. This transparent outfit was then paired with an undergarment of the same colour, but usually lighter in tone.
This traditional clothing is often worn for traditional events, such as wedding ceremonies. Although it has been increasingly marginalised due to the influence of modern clothing, or competing with other Indonesian national attires such as kebaya and baju kurung, it remains prevalent in traditional Bugis villages. The bodo blouses are still worn by Bugis women, especially by brides during the marriage ceremony and wedding reception, as well as by the mother of the bride and groom, and the maid of honour.
Lately, the use of the bodo blouse has begun to expand for various activities, such as dancing and singing. Today, bodo blouse has become a source of inspiration for contemporary Indonesian fashion designers,[3] and used as the inspiration of modern wedding dress.[4]
According to Bugis customs and traditions, specific colours of bodo blouse worn by Bugis women indicates the age and social standings of the wearer.[5]
| Colours | Meanings |
|---|---|
| Orange | Worn by female children aged 10 years old or younger. |
| Orange or red | Worn by girls aged between 10 and 16 years old. |
| Red | Worn by maidens aged between 17 and 25 years old. |
| White | Worn by dayang attendants, ritual dancers, brides, or female dukuns (witch doctors) |
| Green | Worn by noble women. |
| Purple | Worn by widows. |
In contemporary Bugis culture, the traditional significance attached to specific colors in the bodo blouse, which once denoted age and social status, has undergone a transformation. Unlike the strict guidelines adhered to in earlier times, modern practices no longer confine individuals to particular colors based on their age or rank. As a result, women now have the freedom to select from a wider range of colors, including those historically associated with specific age groups.
Furthermore, modern Bugis attire embraces an expansive array of hues beyond the traditional spectrum. Colors like blue, mauve, and orange have become prominent in contemporary Bugis textiles. Historical records from the Leiden Museum even indicate the presence of blue and mauve-toned blouses as far back as 1864, initially linked with nobility before becoming accessible to a broader audience. Today, individuals from all backgrounds, including brides, can confidently choose a green baju bodo, an option that was once reserved solely for noblewomen. This evolution signifies a more inclusive and adaptable approach to Bugis fashion, departing from the strict conventions of the past.[6]
Source: Wikipedia. Article content is retrieved live through the MediaWiki API.
The bodo blouse, locally known as baju bodo (Buginese: ᨓᨍᨘ ᨄᨚᨏᨚ, romanized: waju ponco), is a sheer and transparent short-sleeved loose blouse, a traditional attire for women of the Bugis and Makassar peoples of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. A bodo blouse is traditionally combined with a matching woven sarong that covered the waist below the body.
Bodo may refer to:
Jaapi or Japi (Bodo: Khofri) is an Asian conical hat. It is made from tightly woven bamboo and/or cane and tokou paat (Trachycarpus martianus) a large, palm leaf. The word jaapi derives from jaap meaning a bundle of tokou leaves. In the past, plain jaapis were used by ordinary people in Assam and by farmers for protection from the sun, while ornate decorative jaapis were worn as a status symbol by the royalty and nobility. Decorative sorudoi jaapi are made with intricate cloth designs (primarily red, white, green, blue, and black) that are integrated into the weaving. The upper metal component attached to the top of a jaapi is known in Assamese as sula (Assamese: চূলা), described as a metal, cap-like ornament fixed to the top of the jaapi. The Sula of Japis used by royalty and nobles were made of silver and gold. Besides East and Southeast Asia, rain hats, similar to Jaapi, are spread throughout East India and Nepal, including Bengal, Terai, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Tribes of Arunachal Pradesh like Mishmi and Adi also wear similar traditional headgear made of bamboo or cane.
The Chutia people (Pron: or Sutia) are an ethnic group that are native to the Indian state of Assam and historically associated with the Chutia kingdom. The Chutia kingdom, with its capital at Sadiya, was a major medieval polity of Assam, whose territory extended across much of the eastern and northern Brahmaputra Valley and adjoining frontier regions before its incorporation into the Ahom kingdom in 1523–24. Following the incorporation of the kingdom, sections of the Chutia population were dispersed and resettled across other parts of Upper Assam as well as Central Assam. They constitute one of the core groups that form the Assamese people. By the early colonial period, the Chutia community had the second largest population in Upper Assam (east of Kaliabor). Today, they remain concentrated primarily in Upper Assam, while sizeable populations are also found in Darrang, Nagaon, North Guwahati (particularly Changsari and Rangmahal) and the Barak Valley. The historic Chutias originally belonged to the Bodo–Kachari group with some suspected Shan admixtures. A 2006 anthropometric study comparing six populations of Upper Assam found the Deori to be the closest comparison group to the Chutia sample, followed by the Mising and Moran. A 2004 genetic study placed the Chutias, together with the Ahoms and Rajbanshis, in an intermediate position along the historical tribe–caste continuum. The Chutias underwent processes of Sanskritisation during the period of the Chutia kingdom, followed by further cultural change under the influence of Ekasarana Dharma after the sixteenth century. They also assimilated with neighbouring populations, particularly the Ahoms. The Chutia community is recognised as an Other Backward Class by the Government of India. There has been a long-standing demand for its inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes list, and the Government of Assam has submitted a recommendation for the community's inclusion to the Government of India.
Before the 1921 destruction of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Black residents had created a remarkable center of business and community life. The district included stores, professional offices, entertainment venues and homes owned by Black citizens. Understanding Greenwood means learning what was built—not only what was burned.
MORE →Shirley Chisholm, elected in 1968.
