Netela

Children in netela in Amhara

Among the numerous textiles of Ethiopia and Eritrea, there are two that are extremely well known and commonly used, the Netela and Gabi.^[1] Netela (ነጠላ) is a handmade scarf like cloth made of cotton. It is very thin and delicate, with the texture of gauze, worn by the women of Ethiopia and Eritrea.The Netela has only two layers and is quite large, measuring about 63 x 102 inches.^[2] It is white with colorful intricately woven borders called Tibeb (ጢቤቤ). The Tibeb is between 1 and 2 inches at each end with two variations, one is composed of only one color and the second can have multiple colors and patterns.

The Netela can be worn in different ways. For general wear, the Netela covers the back and shoulders and the border is folded up over the right shoulder, but when attending church the two layers of the Netela are opened and the border goes over both shoulders. When the border is worn around the face or shoulders, it is a sign of mourning, but in moments of leisure the border goes over the left shoulder.^[3]

There are other textiles similar to the Netela. There is the Fota (ፎጣ); a colorful shawl like garment measuring 58 x 105 inches.^[4] Fotas usually have checkerboard designs and are simply wrapped around the shoulders or over the head as a shawl. There is a third kind of textile called Doncho (ዶነጮ) which is a very long cotton sash with a border in color and is only worn by married women, there are types that can measure up to 26 feet long.^[5]

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