Ewe (Ghana)

Kente Cloth – Woman’s Wrapper

Mid-20th Century

Cotton

Private Collection

Asante (Ghana)

Kente Cloth - Man’s wrapper

Mid-20th Century

Rayon

Private Collection

          Kente cloth is now recognized throughout the world as quintessentially African cloth, with its bright colors and patterns appealing to African and Western eyes alike. Kente originates from Ghana in West Africa.  Traditionally woven by men on narrow strip looms, kente consists of long continuous strips, four to eight inches in width,  that are then cut to desired lengths and sewn together to form a single piece.  Men wear larger kentes toga-style, while women wear smaller ones wrapped around their bodies, usually in a two-piece ensemble.  Kente appears in a variety of ceremonies and rituals ranging from funerals, marriages and initiation rites to harvest blessings and gifts. It can also be used in shrines to pay homage to the gods. In these ways, the kente cloth seems to be an integral part of many aspects of both daily and ritual life. 

          This man’s wrapper consists of a tightly structured pattern of recognizable lines and colors based on an established set of rules, reflecting the hierarchical, kingship-based nature of Asante society.  Royal patronage stimulates and controls the production of kente.  While royal patronage does little to limit the range of kente’s patterns, it maintains a stronghold on the nature of the cloths’ names as well  as its production and use. Using the warp strips and colors as their point of departure, Asante weavers name their cloths based on historical events, important leaders, natural phenomena, and proverbs that illustrate social morals and qualities of good leadership.  This cloth depicts the proverb, "If you climb a good tree, you get a push," extolling the idea that a king who rules well has the support of his people.  Both the proverb and the cloth illustrate the important role of leadership, and the need to exercise it appropriately.

                                                                                             Beth Rosenfeld ’03