Kente Cloth Facts
Representing more than fashion design, the patterns woven into kente cloth tell the history of the Asante (or Ashante) tribe of the Akan people of west African Ghana and the Cote d'lvoire (Ivory Coast). Men traditionally weave the ceremonial cloth, which is worn during the most important cultural, religious, and political gatherings. Different groups of Ghanaians weave kente patterns according to individual ethnicity. The faux kente cloth of the West typically serves only as a fashion statement with little representation of heritage.
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History
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"Kente," which comes from the word that means "basket" in the Ashante language, was originally woven from fibers of the raffia palm. Ashante weavers and elders call the cloth "nsaduaso" or "nwontoma" (a cloth hand-woven on a loom), distinguishing it from adinkra cloth (which uses a block-print technique) and factory-made "ntoma" cloth. Originally, only the king or important chieftains wore kente cloth. Today, both men and women of this region wear it for special occasions.
Preparation
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Separating seeds from harvested cotton bolls, women prepare the fiber for weaving. Weighted spindles assist deft fingers in spinning the fibers into yarn. Scrubbing the yarn with cassava starch before dyeing it and winding it onto bobbins makes it stronger. Because hand-spinning yarn from natural fibers is becoming a lost art in Ghana, kente cloth increasingly incorporates Lurex and rayon yarns.
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The Loom
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The parts of an ewe (pronounced "eh-way") kente loom are similar to other traditional looms, except that the artisan sits inside it. Positioned with his abdomen against the front beam, the weaver stretches his legs in front of him, pulling the treadle down by flexing his foot and pointing his toe.
The Cloth
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Masterful weavers create 4-inch strips in complex patterns that align precisely when sewn together to make kente cloth. A length of cloth large enough for a man's garment might require as many as 24 strips; a woman's two-piece garment typically requires eight to 12 strips.
An International Message of Peace
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The Republic of Ghana, presenting a 19-by-12-foot silk Kente cloth to the United Nations in 1960, sent a message to the world through the pattern woven into the fabric. The pattern, called "tikoro nko agynia," means "One head does not constitute a council." This Kente cloth expresses Ghana's view that all the world's countries must work together to achieve international peace.
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References
- Photo Credit art-smart.ci, marshel.edu, University of Maine, University, museum.archanth.cam.ac.uk,
