Why is the kente cloth so special?
One of the reasons Kente cloth is so popular around the world is because two people can wear the cloth, and without saying a word, they can communicate with one another. For these people and their descendants, this brightly coloured, uniquely patterned cloth symbolises a unity with where they’re from.
What do kente cloth colors mean?
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.
What is the purpose of a 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.
What does a triangle mean on a kente cloth?
Purple – feminine, calm, sweet; it is only worn by girls and women. The main symbols on kente cloth: square – represents the earth and cosmos, feminity, fertility, and life. It is also a symbol of the Akan matrilineal society; triangle – symbolizes life (birth, existence, and death);
Can African Americans wear Kente cloth?
Diana Baird N’Diaye, a cultural specialist at the Center for Folklife and Culture Heritage, thinks it’s fine for Americans, especially those of African ancestry, to wear appropriate kente patterns to events such as graduations and funerals, as long as the cloth itself was handwoven in Africa.
Who is supposed to wear the kente cloth that has all the designs on it?
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 are the different types of kente cloth?
Production. Kente production can be classified by three versions: authentic kente cloth made by traditional weavers, kente print produced by brands such as Vlisco and Akosombo Textile LTD, and mass-produced kente pattern typically produced in China for Westerners.
What does the kente graduation stole represent?
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.