kente cloth meanings

kente cloth meanings

silver: serenity, purity, joy; associated with the moon, white: purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions, yellow: preciousness, royalty, wealth, fertility, beauty, This page was last edited on 10 January 2021, at 02:10. My father and half-brothers were born in Ghana, and my family has shaped my understanding of kente cloth. In Ghana, the Akan ethnic group refers to kente as nwentoma, meaning "woven cloth". Kente Cloth Weave Patterns & Meaning. On the other hand Congressional Black Caucus chair Karen Bass said, at a news conference for the introduction of the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, that the white lawmakers were showing solidarity, and April Reign, who is credited with initiating the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag,[11] while not a fan of the symbolism, suggested that the legislation's fate is more relevant than the event in the Capitol's Emancipation Hall. Kente is an Akan royal and sacred cloth worn only in times of extreme importance and is the cloth of kings and nobility, before finding its way into bags, and scarves sold around the globe nowadays. It symbolizes trickery. Ahwepan refers to a simple design of warp stripes, created using plain weave and a single pair of heddles. The word ‘kente’ means ‘basket’. [2], Kente comes from the word kenten, which means "basket" in the Asante dialect of Akan language, referencing its basket-like pattern. Below are the Kente Cloth Weave Patterns that you may find on Kente Cloths. For many, Kente patterns resonate as a uniquely African or West African feature. GHANA NATIONAL CLOTH - KENTE "KENTE" is a brilliantly colourful fabric, entirely hand-woven by Ghanaian weavers.The brilliant colours and intricate designs associated with Kente have definitely … In modern Ghana, the wearing of Kente cloth has become widespread to commemorate special occasions, with highly sought after Kente brands led by master weavers. In Akan culture, the different colors and intricate patterns used in the weaving do have traditional meanings. In its cultural context of use, Kente is more than just a cloth. Symbolic meanings of the colors in African Kente cloth: Black kente cloth-- maturation, intensified spiritual energy; Blue kente cloth-- peacefulness, harmony and love; Green kente cloth-- vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal; Gold kente cloth-- royalty, wealth, high status, glory, spiritual purity; Grey kente cloth … What Clothing Did the Ancient Egyptians Wear? [4] with the female essence of life; a mild, gentle aspect of red, purple: assoc. Kente Cloth Adinkra Symbols & Meaning. Alistair Boddy-Evans is a teacher and African history scholar with more than 25 years of experience. Kente, (Akan: nwentoma ; Ewe: kete) refers to a Ghanaian and Togolese textile, made of handwoven cloth strips of silk and cotton. ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. 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 … Later, when skeins of silk became available, more sophisticated patterns were created, although the high cost of silk meant they were only available to Akan royalty. Buy a kente stole. In kente cloth, colors are significant, conveying these meanings: Even today, when a new design is created, it must first be offered to the royal house. According to the University of Maine Hudson Museum, the word "Kente" means "basket" in the Asante language, and the cloth is deeply interwoven in the Asante culture of Ghana. A popular legend claims creators of kente cloth presented the cloth to Asantehene … Kente cloth is particularly popular in the United States among African Americans and can be found on all types of clothing, accessories, and objects. Due to the popularity of Kente cloth patterns, Kente print, which is a mass-produced version, typically produced China, is popular throughout the West. [10] While it was claimed to be an act of unity with African-Americans, many, including Jade Bentil, a Ghanaian-Nigerian researcher, voiced objection tweeting "My ancestors did not invent Kente cloth for them to be worn by publicity (obsessed) politicians as 'activism' in 2020". Women wear two shorter lengths to form a skirt and bodice. clothing identified with a culture and still worn today, "Congressional Democrats criticized for wearing Kente cloth at event honoring George Floyd", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kente_cloth&oldid=999420093, Articles lacking reliable references from February 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, black: maturation, intensified spiritual energy, spirits of ancestors, passing rites, mourning, and funerals, green: vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal, gold: royalty, wealth, high status, glory, spiritual purity, grey: healing and cleansing rituals; associated with ash, maroon: the color of mother earth; associated with healing, pink: assoc. Although kente cloth is now identified with the Akan people in West Africa, and particularly the Asante Kingdom, the term originates with the neighboring Fante people. Kente is more than just a cloth. [2] Example messages include adweneasa, which translates as "i've exhausted my skills", is a highly decorated type of kente with weft-based patterns woven into every available block of plain weave. Kente is a brightly colored, banded material and is the most widely known cloth produced in Africa. [5] By the 17th century, during the rise of the Ashanti Empire, Kente became popularized among Akan royalty, and by the early 19th century master weavers and Kente houses could be seen throughout the Ashanti capital of Kumasi. Like most of Africa's visual art forms, Kente is a visual representation of history, philosophy, ethics, oral literature, religious … These are different from Adinkra symbols and Kente Cloth colors which also carry their own symbolism. It is an iconic visual representation of the history, philosophy, ethics, oral literature, religious belief, social values, and political thought of West Africa. Definition of kente cloth. Weavers are typically apprentice under a master weaver or company for a number of years before producing their own patterns. … A tradition dating back hundreds of years, the vibrant, colorful weavings of the Kente cloth carry different levels of meaning around the world. That would be kente cloth. The cloth was, therefore viewed as one of the top quality, and the most prestigious of kente cloths, besides those woven exclusively for Asante Kings. Names are derived from several sources, including proverbs, historical events, important chiefs, queen mothers, and plants. For authentic Kente, the towns of Bonwire, Sakora Wonoo, Ntonso, Safo and Adanwomase are noted for Kente weaving, and are located in the Ashanti region. Weaving is done on a wooden loom in which multiple threads of dyed fabric are pressed together. Du Bois, Black Activist and Scholar, African Iron Age - 1,000 Years of African Kingdoms, Medieval Clothing and Fabrics in the Middle Ages, A Brief History of the African Country of Liberia, Medieval Methods for Making Fabric From Wool, Postgraduate Certificate in Education, University College London. Kente cloth is made from thin strips about 4 centimeters thick woven together on narrow looms, typically by men. Of Adinkra symbols that you may find on Kente Cloths bloodshed ; sacrificial rites and.! Design is intended as communication hand in Ghana choose Kente Cloths African cultures have been weaving textiles for thousands years... To Adinkra cloth, which was then woven into the Kente cloth colors which also carry their own.... Designs and motifs in Kente cloth Weave patterns that you may find on Kente Cloths before producing their own.! In its cultural context of use, Kente cloth colors which also carry their symbolism... 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