Kente (KEN-tay) cloth is the national textile of Ghana, West Africa, with royal beginnings from the Asante empire.
What Is Kente
Authentic Kente is made by weaving silk or cotton threads on a narrow loom, paying close attention to the placement of warp and weft colors to form strips of traditional block patterns that resemble basket-weave designs. These narrow strips are often stitched together to make a wider cloth. The colors used have symbolic meaning, and the resulting creative, dynamic patterns are given names. Authentic Kente is an heirloom of high value, handed down to the next generation.
Why Kente Cloth Matters
Kente is more than a piece of material, it is quite literally the very fabric of Ghana’s past, present and future, part of the cultural identity, born of the loom.
For centuries, authentic Kente cloth has been handcrafted by master weavers, beginning with the royal Asante empire, as a symbol of status, wealth, and preserving cultural identity.
Kente is now also mass-produced as a printed, not woven, fabric. It’s important to recognize the original artisan skill of loom weaving to preserve its history and how it is globally recognized.
History
The word Kente comes from the kenten, which means “basket” in the Asante dialect of the Akan language. Kente weaving is centuries old, well predating the formation of the country of Ghana. Kente originated from the Asante (uh-SAN-tee), also known as Ashanti, empire and peoples. It was originally exclusively worn by royalty of the Akan and Ewe ethnic groups, where the finest fabrics and most intricate designs were reserved for the Asantehene, the Asante King. Today, it is worn by many other people, including those from the African diaspora and other internationally diverse backgrounds.
Labor and Art (Pattern Symbolism)
The art of creating Kente is taught by master weavers to younger craftsmen. To begin weaving Kente, warp (lengthwise) threads over 90 feet long are attached to a narrow loom. Then, the weft (crosswise) threads, in several different colors, are passed back and forth across the warp threads to weave in a pattern for a design to emerge. Depending on the placement of the weft threads, the warp threads can be hidden completely if required by a particular design.
Video by Jasmine Ama
There are hundreds of traditional designs of Kente cloth for weavers to reproduce. Each design is symbolic, and both the warp and weft patterns have specific messages and names taken from many different cultural sources: Historical and prominent figures and events, proverbs, animals, or cultural objects. The final work is given the same name as the warp name. The symbolism and colors are often considered when purchasing Kente cloth.
Wearing Kente
Kente strips are usually sewn together to make a larger piece of cloth, which is then styled in traditional Ghanaian garments worn by men, women, and even children, and adorns regalia such as shields, drums, and fans. It is still the fabric of tribal ceremonies, weddings, and other special occasions, most often woven from silk. Kente is also commonly worn by people other than Ghanaians and is also used for everyday wear and accessories (usually in printed cotton).
Individual Kente strips are frequently adorned around the neck, as a stole, in addition to the classic cap and gown for commencement ceremonies in the United States. Names, initials, dates, and/or words of significance are woven into the strip. It is vastly popular with graduates of HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).
Future
Although Kente cloth has gained global visibility beyond indigenous cultural significance, especially with techniques of mass production, preserving the craftsmanship of this artform is key in maintaining the skill and heritage of the original master craftsmen.