Most kente weavers are men. Kente cloth comes from the Asante, or Ashanti, peoples of Ghana and Ewe peoples of Ghana and Togo. The spider was first sighted by two allies (Krugu and Watah) who were out hunting when they happened to come across it by chance as it made its web. Furthermore, the Ashanti King Obwasi tutu cloaked himself in the Kente Cloth and hence was seen to have endorsed the cloth line thereby chiefly claiming domain of it. How to Choose a Top and Accessorise Your Umushana. The most common kente cloth frame material is kente. El Anatsui, Old Man’s Cloth. These aspects involve matters such as maturation, love, harmony, peace and many more. It is also worn by African-Americans as a show of ethnic pride. Women had all the privileges of seeing their men fully cloaked in the glamor of the Kente Cloth but never were they to alter or attempt to customize it. In the past, Kente was only woven with silk yarn but these days you can have cotton and rayon; making it  more available. “KENTE” is a brilliantly colorful fabric (cotton, rayon, sheen, etc. Kente cloth sheets are assembled out of sewing together long strips or bands of fabric, each 6”-10” wide. Kente is no ordinary cloth and is easily recognisable worldwide. Features Of Kente. It … Kente cloth originated in the west African country of Ghana. The kente cloth is woven on a narrow horizontal wood structure called a loom explains the Kente dedicated website, Kente Cloth. What is Heritage Day and Why is it Important? The Ewe people named the cloth “ke te”; describing the complicated manner the cloth is woven. A man’s kente cloth may consist of 24 strips and measures 5×8 feet. ), entirely or solely hand-woven on a horizontal treadle loom by the Asantes in Ghana, Africa. Some scholars think that the basis for Kente cloth entered West Africa from Sudan, traveling along trade routes across the continent in the 16th century. If you thought that the Kente Cloth is a single custom line, then think again. It takes about a day to weave just one strip. Weaving is one of the oldest art forms in the world, and it's been part of West African cultures for millennia. Fundamentally, this was due to the fact that the Kente Cloth was a symbol of power and supremacy therefore, for a woman to handle it, it would have been breach of certain social and cultural norms. However, it is potently resonated that clanship of the society in terms of Hierarchy and supremacy provided for an exclusive nature of the Kente Cloth. The Kente cloth is known as the fabric with the most complicated weavings in the world. Originally, royalty exclusively wore kente but since Ghana’s independence from Britain in 1957 kente has become a symbol of national pride. It comes in over 12 different varieties and forms that one can amicably pick from. Today it is worn by all, especially for special occasions. Kente cloth (Asante and Ewe peoples) This is the currently selected item. In 1697, the Asantehene, the King of the Ashanti people, selected four towns including Adanwomase to travel to Bontuku, a trading centre in northern Cote D’Ivoire, to study the art form. Kente cloth — woven with vibrant strips of silk and cotton — comes from Ghana, where people wear it to show patriotism or celebrate a special occasion. The Ashantis learned Kente weaving from the Ewe people (Ghana, Togo and Benin). Kente Cloth Richly woven Kente cloth is among the most famous woven cloths of Africa. 5. Kente cloth, however, is defined by some very unique weaving techniques. Several of these strips are carefully arranged and hand-sewn together to create a cloth of the desired size. The same designs have been replicated to the Kente Cloth predominant in West Africa and associated to hierarchy and riches. Significantly, the colors are symbolic and bear connotative relations to certain aspects of the society. As an example, even Lola Maleombho modeled garments made of out Kente Cloth on high-profile fashion runways. The male version is usually longer than the female. It is also woven by the Ewes in the Volta, Ghana. It is made by weaving long strips that contain symbolic patterns. The Kente Cloth is by all means a very diverse attire element. The kente cloth is a traditional African cloth – the colors and design hold a specific meaning. “Kente” is a word in the Ashanti language of Ghana, which means “basket”. Although the first kente cloth was made of raffia fibers, Kente cloth, which was associated with Ashanti royalty, was made of silk during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. There is a pride factor that is contained and encompassed in the Kente Cloth. Originally, Kente cloth was woven from raffia fibers but with the increase in trade and importation, Silk became readily available and the weavers chose to use it to make this colorful fabric. In the mid-20th century, independence leaders helped popularize kente cloth, explained Dr. Patrick Mbajekwe, associate professor of history at Norfolk State University.For example, Kwame Nkrumah, who would become Ghana's first president, wore a Mmeeda kente cloth in 1951 when he was released from prison after he had served a one-year term … Chronologically, Kumasi is the Capital of the Ashanti Kingdom and as such all that pertains to the Kente Cloth was instituted to have been conceited and pioneered in Kumasi. The Kente Cloth is by all means a very diverse attire element. The popularity of the colors and patterns of the kente make it one of the most recognizable textiles in Africa. Relevantly, Kumasi became to be known and revered to as the capital of both Ashanti as well as Kente Cloth. A popular legend claims creators of kente … The male version is usually longer than the female. These Norms primarily stated the position and placement of the line between male and female. Ghana Business Registration Number: K.E.D.A/AD/023/2016 | Australian Business Number ( ABN) :13785704247. Historically the fabric was worn in a toga-like fashion by royalty among ethnic groups including the Ewe and Ashanti.It was then popularized among other tribes such as the Akyem, and the Fante.In modern Ghana, the wearing of Kente cloth has become widespread to … Men tended to wear it toga style; or tied over one shoulder. Kente cloth has history ranging back over 400 years. These aspects involve matters such as maturation, love, har… During this era there existed a Monarchial system of leadership and hence Kings ordinarily assimilated the Kente Cloth as per the Ananse spider web legend in order to symbolize greatness and supremacy. 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