THE BEAUTY OF KENTE CLOTH: FROM GHANA WITH LOVE

Sometime in June, pictures showing some Democratic members of the U.S. Congress wearing kente cloth and kneeling in Emancipation Hall went viral.

And while the photo caused a lot of controversy on the internet and beyond, with thousands of people having their different opinions on the whole event – oh, you should have seen the Twitter fights.

It also did something else too.

It opened the world’s eyes to the beauty that is kente.

What Is Kente?

Kente in the Twi language of the Akan people in Ghana means “ handwoven cloth.” It refers to the alluring, brightly colored, and fashionable cloth produced in parts of West Africa and primarily Ghana. The Ewe people of Togo also have a similar version of kente material, but with a much simpler design.

The Kente cloth has a fascinating and bizarre history. You ready for this?

Kente was inspired by spiders – eek!

I know you’re wondering how those creepy crawlies can inspire this lovely fabric. I wondered too!

The tale tells of two Akan hunters who had seen a spider weaving its web and became fascinated by the brilliant patterns made by those spindly spider legs – inserts shivers.

The spider, who was called Ananse, offered to teach them the art in exchange for favors.

It is said that they carried their newfound skill to the ruler of the Asante people, who named the cloth “Kente” and decreed that the luxurious material was only meant for royalty and the affluent.

As trade routes blossomed, the original cotton/wool kente was replaced and mixed with silk from China, yet only few could afford it.

Now – luckily – ordinary people like you and me can get our hands on Kente material and have it made into any style we wish.

It wasn’t always like this though

How Was it Worn?

Traditionally, Kente was meant to be worn whole, around the left shoulder for men and around the body and heads for the wome.

Well, you can still wear it this way – as long as you don’t mind the looks you’d get at your local Mcdonalds.

Today, this fabric made initially from weaving long, narrow strips and then painstakingly them together, can now be machine-printed and cut into dresses, hats, shoes, and bags of all styles.

Famous people that have worn Kente?

Well, there’s President Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, after its independence from Britain, was a well-known wearer of kente, and even commissioned a piece in 1960. That piece still hangs at the U.N today.

Most graduates of historically black colleges also wear a kente stole at graduation, alongside Members of the Congressional Black Caucus.

And even certain celebrities have been spotted with the fabric, like Elle Varner, who was spotted wearing kente in 2014 on the set of her music video “Only Wanna Give It To You.”

More and more people are going for African prints, especially kente. Well, who wouldn’t want to be associated with a line of Kings and Queens?! I know I would.

So why don’t you get your Kente fabric now and join in the rich heritage that is Ghana.