Kente is woven in four-inch (9.5 cm) narrow strips that are sewn together. A characteristic Asante kente has geometric shapes woven in bright colors along the entire length of the strip, while Ewe kente often displays a tweed effect by plying together different colored threads in many of the warps.
What is Ewe kente?
Kente (Akan: kente or nwetoma; Ewe: kete; Dagbani: Chinchini) refers to a Ghanaian textile, made of handwoven cloth, strips of silk and cotton. Historically the fabric was worn in a toga-like fashion by royalty among ethnic groups such as the Ashanti and Ewe. It is also worn by queens, princesses and women of Dagbon.
Do ewes wear kente?
Kente cloth is also worn by the Ewe people, who were under the rule of the Asante kingdom in the late 18th century. It is believed that the Ewe, who had a previous tradition of horizontal loom weaving, adopted the style of kente cloth production from the Asante—with some important differences.
What is the difference between kente and adinkra?
While kente is distinctive for its rich color palette and its association with wealth and celebration, adinkra is important for mourning.
What does the kente cloth symbolize?
Kente is a meaningful sartorial device, as every aspect of its aesthetic design is intended as communication. The colors of the cloth each hold symbolism: gold = status/serenity, yellow = fertility, green = renewal, blue = pure spirit/harmony, red = passion, black = union with ancestors/spiritual awareness.
Who brought kente to Ghana?
The origins of the Kente cloth go back 400 years to West Africa, in what is now modern day Ghana. While its invention is often attributed to the people of the Ashanti Tribe, the Kente cloth may have instead been invented by the people in the Ewe Tribe, who later shared the tradition with the Ashanti.
What was the Ashanti tribe known for?
As they prospered, Ashanti culture flourished. They became famous for gold and brass craftsmanship, wood carving, furniture, and brightly colored woven cloth, called kente.
Who can wear a kente stole?
While any high school or college student qualifies to wear a Kente stole at their graduation, the display should hold a deep, personal significance for the wearer. Stoles were first used by the Catholic clergy in the 12th century, worn to distinguish rank or promotion within their hierarchy.
Where is kente made in Ghana?
Bonwire is located 18km on the Kumasi-Mampong Road, Bonwire is popular for Kente weaving. Kente is a colourful Ghanaian traditional fabric which is worn mostly on important occasions and celebrations.
What are two types of kente cloth weavers?
Kente cloth is made by Asante and Ewe weavers.
Do Ashanti wear kente Adinkra all the time?
It is common to see Ashantes in western- styled clothing, but wear Adinkra or Kente during ceremonial events. Men wrap Adinkra or Kente around their bodies, leaving one of their shoulders exposed3, while women wear smaller versions of head, upper torso, and lower body wraps.
Where did the kente cloth originated?
Ghana
The origin of kente cloth
Kente cloth comes from the Asante, or Ashanti, peoples of Ghana and Ewe peoples of Ghana and Togo.
What part of Africa can you find Ghana?
western Africa
Situated on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea in western Africa, Ghana is bordered to the northwest and north by Burkina Faso, to the east by Togo, to the south by the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west by Côte d’Ivoire.
Why is kente cloth very special?
Kente cloth has been known for its dramatic colors and intricate patterns ever since. An Asante weaver might know hundreds of patterns by heart, each having its own name. Warp patterns, which are stripes of color, have names taken from proverbs, important chiefs or queen mothers, or historical events.
What is true about traditional kente cloth?
Weaving kente cloth is a cultural tradition of the Asante (also known as Ashanti) people, and these fabrics were originally used exclusively to dress kings and their courts. Each block, pattern, and color has a distinct name and meaning, and the cloth often includes adinkra symbols, which represent concepts or sayings.
Which ethnic groups are noted for their use of the kente cloth?
Modern African Print Clothing
Akans, from the Ashanti kingdom, traditionally wear clothes made from Kente cloth as it’s a source of great pride for many Ghanaians and the Diaspora. Authentic Kente is a status symbol of wealth and identity as it is a luxurious and expensive fabric.
What does Asante mean in Ghana?
thank you
Girl. African. Derived from the Kiswahili word asante, meaning “thank you“. Ashanti is a region in central Ghana. The traditional inhabitants of the region are known as Ashanti people.
Where did Asante migrated from?
The Ashanti or Asante are a major ethnic group in Ghana. They were a powerful, militaristic, and highly disciplined people of West Africa. The ancient Ashanti migrated from the vicinity of the northwestern Niger River after the fall of the Ghana Empire in the 13th century.
What is Asante Africa?
Asante empire, Asante also spelled Ashanti, West African state that occupied what is now southern Ghana in the 18th and 19th centuries.
What is the meaning of a kente stole?
What is a Kente stole? Adapted from African tradition in Ghana, this woven cloth (which was once only worn by royalty) is a scarf-like garment worn over the shoulders. Similar to standard graduation stoles, they typically represents some type of accomplishment, graduation or other rites of passage.
What does the serape stole mean?
A sarape sash is a type of graduation stole that features beautiful Mexican-inspired colorful patterns. When it comes to purchasing a sarape sash for your graduation ceremony, the best place to purchase it is right here at sarapesashes.com.
