A sulu is a

kilt A kilt ( gd, fèileadh ; Irish: ''féileadh'') is a garment resembling a wrap-around knee-length skirt, made of twill woven worsted wool with heavy pleats at the sides and back and traditionally a tartan pattern. Originating in the Scottish H ...

-like garment worn by men and women in

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

since colonisation in the nineteenth century. Etymology The word ''sulu'' (pronunciation: soo-loo) literally means clothes or cloth in the iTaukei language. The first sulus were brought by missionaries coming from

Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...

in the nineteenth century and was initially worn by iTaukei Fijians to indicate their conversion to Christianity. It is now regarded as Fiji's

national dress A folk costume (also regional costume, national costume, traditional garment, or traditional regalia) expresses an identity through costume, which is usually associated with a geographic area or a period of time in history. It can also indica ...

even though pre-colonial iTaukei Fijian traditional clothing consisted of clothing such as the ''malo'' and the ''liku''. It consists of a rectangle of cloth of varying length, between below-knee and ankle-length, wrapped around the hips and traditionally fastened by tying at the waist or has an elastic waist. Modern men's sulus may be fastened with

buckle The buckle or clasp is a device used for fastening two loose ends, with one end attached to it and the other held by a catch in a secure but adjustable manner. Often taken for granted, the invention of the buckle was indispensable in securing tw ...

s. This version of the sulu is believed to have been designed for formal wear by Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna. The casual or everyday unisex sulus are known as ''sulu-vaka-toga'' (meaning Tongan sulu)''.'' Together with women's church or formal ceremony dress, simple sulus with an elastic waist that extend to the ankles are known as ''sulu-i-ra.'' The more elegant full-length ones for dressy occasions as ''sulu jaba''. Men's sulus are known as ''sulu vakataga'' (sulu with pockets). Tailored sulus with pockets are commonly worn as part of Fijian men's business and formal wear, with shirt and

sandal Sandals are an open type of footwear, consisting of a sole held to the wearer's foot by straps going over the instep and around the ankle. Sandals can also have a heel. While the distinction between sandals and other types of footwear can so ...

s and optionally western-style jacket and tie. In certain situations, such as entering a church, wearing a sulu is seen as respectful. Tailored sulus also feature in police and

military uniform A military uniform is a standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces and paramilitaries of various nations. Military dress and styles have gone through significant changes over the centuries, from colourful and elaborate, ornamented c ...

s. Official uniform sulus come to below the knees and feature a distinctive

zigzag A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular. In geometry, this pattern is described as a ...

hem. In Fiji the sulu is seen as an expression of ethnic Fijian identity. While wearing a sulu is often mandatory for Fijians in certain settings, previously, members of other ethnicities were sometimes discouraged from wearing it. Nowadays, it is pleasant to see all races wearing the sulu.

References

Fijian fashion Skirts {{fashion-stub