WEST AFRICA
The Kasonke (Khassonké / Xaasongaxango) people are a Manding ethnic group primarily found in western Mali, with smaller communities in Senegal, Mauritania, and The Gambia.
Tied to the Khasso Kingdom descendants of Malinke and Fulani who intermingled in the Khasso region between 16th and 19th century.
Women's clothing is made from mud-dyed cloth called Bogolanfini, featuring earthy tones with Manding motifs. They wear a headwrap called moussor, which is usually long and sculptural, worn mostly at ceremonies where the dress is typically made of brightly dyed cotton embroidered at the neckline.
Men wear indigo or white attires called Boubou, which is a flowing robe paired with trousers and an over-robe. They have a hunter's tunic (Manding hunter brotherhoods) decorated with leather patches, amulets and cowrie shells. As part of their legacy, they complement this with Manding skullcaps, Fulani turbans or simply cotton caps. The different origins within the Khasso Kingdom can be distinguished through their clothing: Bambara wear strip-woven cotton, Malinke prefer boubou-style outfits with embroidery, and Fulani accessories with jewellery, turbans and leather.
The authenticity is evident in the dyeing of the textiles in clay, the hair ornaments are where you can really see their expressiveness, using circular cotton balls that to me represent light and clarity, as they might be representing anthems to capture that light- while the turbans unleash geometric patterns. In this case the woman carries power in her clothing and her large-scale gold accessories don't go unnoticed, once again giving insight into what represents a woman's beauty.
