The evolution of Somali women’s clothing during changing security contexts

The nation, and sometime state, of Somalia has been without a bona fide central governmentsince 1990, when the government of General Mohamed Siad Barre collapsed and insurgentsoverran the capital city of Mogadishu. Since then, the Somali population of the Horn of Africahas experienced ongoing insecurity and instability, and Somalia has become the poster childfor the definition of a failed state. This chapter will examine the evolution of Somali women’sfashions through the different eras of modern Somali history from the precolonial period to thepresent. It will describe the overarching peace and security contexts, the changes in women’s status and circumstances, and what women were wearing during each era.