Wob Dwiyet: Ladies Creole Wear in Dominica

Words by Jesse Serwer
Photos by Martei Korley
Model: Malia Constance

Visit Dominica during the island’s independence celebrations, and you’re sure to be struck by an outpouring of national pride in the form of the ubiquitous, traditional Creole wear, known as Wob Dwiyet. While other islands acknowledge their mixed African and European heritage by donning similar formal attire during festive seasons, no one does it quite like Dominica. On Creole Day (observed the last Friday before Independence Day, Nov. 3), the entire island’s population is encouraged to sport traditional Creole wear—marked by West African plaid patterns and European-style cuts. Not everyone complies, but almost everybody does– from schoolchildren to bank tellers to the Prime Minister.

The twin beauty/cultural pageants known as Madame Wob Dwiyet (for mature women) and Miss Wob Dwiyet (for young women and teenage girls) have helped keep this tradition alive and vibrant. At the pageants, held in the capital, Roseau, during the independence season, women showcase homemade spins on the ladies’ traditional wear known as wob dwiyet, but are judged on their mastery of traditional movements in the dress as well as knowledge of Dominican culture. International editions of the pageants are also held in the US and Canada, with winners who often go on to compete at the main event in Roseau.

Scroll through for Martei Korley’s images of Malia Constance at the Dominica Botanical Gardens in Roseau.

“The African love for color has certainly influenced our national wear, which is called the dwiyet,” says Raymond Lawrence, Dominica’s chief cultural officer, and the chairman of its National Cultural Council and independence celebrations. “The jip, which is a skirt with a white blouse, is a more casual wear than the wob dwiyet, the long dress that the women wear, which is more formal. They also wear petticoats with the dwiyet and with the jip outfit as well.”

“National wear is a symbol of nationalism and pride for Dominicans,” Lawrence says. “It connects them with their history, our grandparents and ancestors who wore the national wear. It is a tradition that has been handed down through the years and great effort has been made to keep preserving and promoting this symbol of our nation.”

“Wob dwiyet is made up essentially of a long sleeved dress which women would wear for various occasions like going to church or the baptism of a child or some kind of formal ceremony,” Lawrence explains. “You’d find in the old days, women would wear dwiyets practically every day. They’d have different types for different occasions. There’s a different type of dwiyet for staying at home.”

“The head ties are very African influenced,” Lawrence notes. “Madras is a very popular material for making the head ties.”

Today, national wear is primarily worn on special occasions. Not just independence time, but when people are representing Dominica overseas or at special government and state functions. But some prideful Dominicans wear the attire to occasions year round, particularly to church.

“At independence time, which focuses on nationalism and things Dominican, you’ll find a lot of emphasis on wearing national wear,” Lawrence notes. “On Creole Day, one of the main events of the independence celebration, everybody is asked to dress in Creole wear, including schoolchildren, government offices and business places. People have responded to that for many years. People identify with it. They see it as something very Dominican, something to be proud of. Not just in Dominica, but in the diaspora as well. There are Dominican associations which organize various events that highlight national wear in various parts of the world.”