Most Kente Cloth Comes From What Region? Quizlet Art

Ghanian textile

Kente (Akan: kente or nwetoma; Ewe: kete; Dagbani: Chinchini) refers to a Ghanaian textile, made of handwoven textile, strips of silk and cotton.^[i] Historically the fabric was worn in a toga-similar fashion by royalty amid ethnic groups such every bit the Ashanti and Ewe. Information technology is too worn by queens, princesses and women of Dagbon. In modern day Ghana, the wearing of kente textile has become widespread to commemorate special occasions, with highly sought later on kente brands led past master weavers.

Due to the popularity of kente^[2] cloth patterns, kente print, which is a mass-produced version, is popular throughout the West. Globally, the print is used in the design of academic stoles in graduation ceremonies.^[three]

Kente material, the traditional or national cloth of Ghana, is worn by almost southern Ghanaian ethnic groups including the Akan, the Ga, and the Ewe.

Etymology [edit]

Kente Weaver on Adum Street in Kumasi, Ghana, 1819

Kente comes from the word kenten, which means "basket" in the Asante dialect of the Akan language, referencing its basket-like design. In Ghana, the Akan ethnic group also refers to kente as nwentoma, meaning "woven cloth". Ashanti folklore includes a story where weavers invented kente by seeking to replicate the patterns of Anansi the spider.^[4]

History [edit]

West African cultures have been weaving textiles for thousands of years.^[v] Kente may accept developed from a diverseness of weaving traditions which existed in Ghana since before the 11th century, with excavations in the region showing instruments such as spindles, whorls, and loom weights.^[6] By the 18th century, during the rise of the Ashanti Empire, kente became popularized among Akan royalty, and by the early 19th century principal weavers and kente houses could be seen throughout the Ashanti capital of Kumasi.

Production [edit]

Kente production can be classified past 3 versions: authentic kente cloth made past traditional weavers, kente impress produced past brands such equally Vlisco and Akosombo Textile LTD, and mass-produced kente blueprint typically produced in China for Westerners. Authentic kente fabric is the nigh expensive, while kente impress varies in cost depending on production style.

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.^[seven]

Weaving is done on a wooden loom in which multiple threads of dyed fabric are pressed together. Weavers are typically apprenticed nether a master weaver or company for a number of years before producing their own patterns. Rolls of cloth are then imprinted with a brand to signify authenticity.^[viii]

Gender has an influence on cloth product. Weaving kente is traditionally considered a male exercise.^[9]

Characteristics [edit]

In that location exist hundreds of different kinds of kente patterns.^[ten] Kente patterns vary in complexity, with each pattern having a proper noun or message by the weaver. Ghanaians choose kente cloths as much for their names every bit their colors and patterns. Although the cloths are identified primarily by the patterns found in the lengthwise (warp) threads, in that location is often petty correlation between appearance and name. Names are derived from several sources, including proverbs, historical events, important chiefs, queen mothers, and plants. The cloth symbolizes high value.

Ahwepan refers to a unproblematic design of warp stripes, created using plain weave and a unmarried pair of heddles. The designs and motifs in kente cloth are traditionally abstract, but some weavers also include words, numbers and symbols in their work.^[three] Case letters 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 manifestly weave. Because of the intricate patterns, adweneasa fabric requires three heddles to weave.^{[eleven] [12]}

Symbolic meanings of the colors [edit]

Kente loom with different colored threads

^{[xiii] [ meliorate source needed ]}

• black: maturation, intensified spiritual free energy, spirits of ancestors, passing rites, mourning, and funerals
• blue: peacefulness, harmony, and dearest
• light-green: vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal
• gold: royalty, wealth, high condition, glory, spiritual purity
• grayness: healing and cleansing rituals; associated with ash
• maroon: the color of mother world; associated with healing
• pink: assoc. with the female essence of life; a balmy, gentle aspect of crimson
• imperial: assoc. with feminine aspects of life; normally worn by women
• red: political and spiritual moods; mortality; sacrificial rites and expiry.
• silver: tranquillity, purity, joy; associated with the moon
• white: purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions
• yellow: preciousness, royalty, wealth, fertility, beauty

Controversy [edit]

Congressional Democrats wearing kente cloth, June 2020.

In June 2020, Democratic Party leaders in the United States acquired controversy by wearing stoles fabricated of kente cloth to evidence support against systemic racism.^[xiv] While it was claimed to be an human action of unity with African-Americans, many, including Jade Bentil, a Ghanaian-Nigerian researcher, voiced objection tweeting "My ancestors did non invent Kente cloth for them to exist worn by publicity (obsessed) politicians as 'activism' in 2020". 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,^[15] while not a fan of the symbolism, suggested that the legislation'due south fate is more relevant than the outcome in the Capitol'south Emancipation Hall.

There is likewise a controversy with Louis Vuitton's usage of a printed and monogrammed version of kente in their autumn-winter 2021 collection past American creative director Virgil Abloh, whose grandmother was Ghanaian. Additionally, questions of ownership of the woven craft, its image, and location of ateliers of product of kente. To this question of cultural appropriation, Abloh's response to the press in 2020 was: "Provenance is reality; ownership is a myth. In the same way, we cannot control our inspirations, we cannot trade-mark natural or cultural heritage as contemporary artistic territory." This coincided with the offset appearance of this pattern of kente cloth printed on a wearing apparel worn past American poet Amanda Gorman for the embrace of Vogue'due south May 2021 issue.

References [edit]

1. ^ Anquandah, James; Kankpeyeng, Benjamin (2014). Current Perspectives in the Archaeology of Ghana. African Books Collective. ISBN978-9988-8602-6-four.
2. ^ "Letter from Africa: Kente - the Ghanaian textile that's on the catwalk". BBC News. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
3. ^ ^{a b} Boateng, Boatema (2011). The copyright thing doesn't work here: Adinkra and Kente cloth and intellectual property in Ghana. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. ISBN978-0-8166-7679-8. OCLC 741751637.
4. ^ Konadu, Kwasi (2007). Ethnic medicine and knowledge in African gild. Routledge. pp. thirty–31. ISBN9780203941393.
5. ^ Colleen E. Kriger (2006). Cloth in West African History. Rowman Altamira. pp. 22–23. ISBN978-0-7591-0422-8.
6. ^ "Bonwire Kente Weaving Village". touringghana.com. 26 March 2016. Retrieved eleven August 2020.
7. ^ "Bonwire Kente Weaving Village". touringghana.com. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
8. ^ Smith, Shea Clark (1975). "Kente Textile Motifs". African Arts. nine (1): 36–39. doi:ten.2307/3334979. ISSN 0001-9933. JSTOR 3334979.
9. ^ Boateng, Boatema (5 Apr 2011), "The Copyright Thing Doesn't Work Here", The Copyright Thing Doesn't Work Here, University of Minnesota Press, ISBN978-0-8166-7002-4 , retrieved 14 May 2021
10. ^ Asamoah-Yaw, E. Kente Cloth : History and Culture. ISBN978-ane-5245-9682-8. OCLC 976443076.
11. ^ Gilfoy, Peggy (1987). Patterns of life: W African strip-weaving traditions. Published for the National Museum of African Art past the Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 47. ISBN9780874744750.
12. ^ "Wrapper (kente, oyokoman adwireasu)". Smithsonian National Museum of African Fine art . Retrieved 16 Dec 2018.
13. ^ Kente Cloth Archived vi January 2009 at the Wayback Machine. "African Journey". projectexploration.org. 25 September 2007.
14. ^ Lee, Alicia (8 June 2020). "Congressional Democrats criticized for wearing Kente textile at event honoring George Floyd". CNN. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
15. ^ Griggs, Brandon (14 January 2016). "Once again, #OscarsSoWhite". CNN. Retrieved 12 June 2020.

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kente.

• African textile and mode
• Kente Cloth Style Collections
• National Folklore Board (Ghana)

gilesplis1938.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kente_cloth

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