The gele is a traditional head tie and headgear native to the Yoruba people of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The gele comes in various shapes and designs. It is often worn with other Yoruba women's outfits, like Iro ati buba, Komole, and Asoebi.
It is a tied or wrapped piece of clothing styled around Yoruba womenâÂÂs heads and is used for fashion and special occasions. It has also been acculturated by some other Nigerian and African ethnicities through popular culture. Geles are also available in ready-to-wear designs and styles called Auto-Gele, invented by Funmi Olurinola, which can be purchased to avoid having to tie the gele each time it is worn. The Auto-Gele is worn like an hat, but gives the same feel as a regular Gele.
Gele include many designs: some long and flared out, some layered, some fanned out, and some wrapped up and bunched. Gele are made from many types of fabrics, including Aso-oke, Adire, Aso-olona, Damask, Brocade, Sego, Seghosen, and Jawu. Other types of cloth head coverings in Yoruba culture that are not Gele include Ibori, which is head scarf, and Iborun, which is a shawl; these are all distinct from the gele.