Culture of Djibouti

The culture of the Republic of Djibouti is diverse due to the nation's Red Sea location at a crossroads of trade and commerce.

Djiboutian population is divided into several human components: the Issa and the Anfar, the Muslim religion for the most part, that are traditionally attached to anthropological group Hamitic.

Poetry traditionally recited in the villages by special readers called gabaye was a way of recording the community's history and customs, as well as current events.

The Somali clan component is mainly composed of the Issas, followed by a sizable group of Gadabuursi and smaller numbers of Isaaq.

Islam entered the region very early on, as a group of persecuted Muslims had, at Prophet Muhummad's urging, sought refuge across the Red Sea in the Horn of Africa.

When not dressed in western clothing such as jeans and t-shirts, men typically wear the macawiis, which is a sarong-like garment worn around the waist.

Among nomads, many wear a loosely wrapped white cotton robe called a tobe that goes down to about the knee, with the end thrown over the shoulder (much like a Roman toga).

[citation needed] Women typically wear the dirac, which is a long, light, diaphanous voile dress made of cotton or polyester that is worn over a full-length half-slip and a bra.

Married women tend to sport head-scarves referred to as shash, and also often cover their upper body with a shawl known as garbasaar.

At first listen, Somali music might be mistaken for the sounds of nearby regions such as Ethiopia, Sudan or Arabia, but it is ultimately recognizable by its own unique tunes and styles.

The Djibouti national football team, nicknamed the Riverains de la Mer Rouge ("Shoremen of the Red Sea"), plays various international squads both locally and abroad.

Unlike neighboring countries Ethiopia or Somalia, Djibouti has never appeared for the African Basketball Championship at either senior or junior level, men or women.