HISTORY OF KENTE CLOTH AND ITS

VALUE ADDITION THROUGH DESIGN

INTEGRATION WITH AFRICAN WILD SILK
FOR EXPORT MARKET IN GHANA
Ken Okwae Fening
ARPPIS Scholar, icipe
p. O. Box 30772-00100 Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract: The Republic of Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast, is named after
the medieval Ghana Empire of West Africa. The Ashanti people of Ghana developed
kente in the Seventeenth Century AD, though it is believed to have its roots in a long
tradition of weaving in Africa dating back to 3000 BC. The origin of kente is explained
by both legendary and historical accounts. Kente in the past was woven from cotton
and silk yarns imported from Europe and Asia, but now Lurex" and spun rayon
are used in addition to cotton and silk. Silk yarns are usually considered the most
prestigious and are, therefore, the most highly valued. Kente is no more a reserve
of royals but for people of all social classes and is one of the world's best known
and most widely revered textiles. It is produced in greater quantity, exported to more
places and incorporated into a greater variety of forms than any other African fabric.
The value and prestige of kente cloth can be increased by blending it with African silk
to offer designs characteristic to only the African sub-region, with the aim of attracting
the large export market both locally and internationally. The ClP in icipe is currently
exploring this option as a way of adding value to African silk textiles so as to attract
high export value. In the long-term the technology will be adopted by the Ghanaian
textile industry to boost her textile exports. This marketing opportunity is facilitated by
the fact that Ghana now enjoys duty-free exports of indigenous Ghanaian textiles to
the larger US market under AGOA.

Background
The Republic of Ghana is named after the medieval Ghana Empire of West Africa [1].
Geographically, old Ghana is 500 miles north of the present Ghana, and occupied the area
between rivers Senegal and Niger. Some inhabitants of present Ghana had ancestors linked
with the medieval Ghana. Before March 1957, Ghana was called the Gold Coast named
by the Portuguese who came to Ghana around the Fifteenth Century and discovered its
gold wealth. Ghana is located in West Africa with a land surface area of 239,460 km2 (area
including inland waters) and shares boundaries with Cote d'ivoire in the west, Burkina Faso
in the north, Togo in the east and the Gulf of Guinea of the Atlantic Ocean in the south.
The 2006 population estimates is 22,409,572 and a real growth rate of 2.14%. The age
structure is as follows; 0-14 years constitute 38.8%, 15-64 years constitute 57.7% and
65 years and over forms 3.5%. The unemployment rate is 20% (1997 estimate) and the
population below poverty line constitutes about 31 % (2003 estimate). The female labour
force is 51 % and current agriculture labour force is 60% (1999 estimate) [2,3,4].

History of kente cloth

The term kente comes from the word 'kenten', which means 'basket' because the first cloths
were woven out of raffia and were dubbed 'basket cloths' with patterns resembling those
of a basket [5]. Although the Ashanti people of Ghana developed kente in the Seventeenth
Century AD, it has it roots in a long tradition of weaving in Africa dating back to about 3000
Be. The origin of kente is explained with both a legend and historical accounts [6].
A legend has it that a man named Ota Karaban and his friend Kwaku Ameyaw from
the town of Bonwire (now the leading kente weaving centre in Ashanti) learned the art

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of weaving by observing a spider weaving its web during a hunting expedition. Taking a
cue from the spider, they wove a strip of raffia fabric and later improved upon their skill.
They reported their discovery to their chief Nana Bobie, who in turn reported it to the
Asantehene (the Ashanti chief) at that time. The Asantehene adopted it as a royal cloth and
encouraged its development as a cloth of prestige reserved for special occasions [61.
Historical accounts trace the origin of kente weaving to early weaving traditions
in ancient West African Kingdoms that flourished between 300 AQ and 1600 AD. Some
historians maintain that kente is an outgrowth of various weaving traditions that existed
in West Africa prior to the formation of the Ashanti Kingdom in the Seventeenth Century.
Archaeological research has dated examples of narrow-strip cloths woven in West Africa
as early as the Eleventh Century AD and perhaps earlier. Some examples of woven fabrics
have been found in the caves of the Bandiagara cliffs in Mali. These cloths, used in burial
ceremonies, probably during the medieval Ghana, Mali and Soghai Empires, have technical
and aesthetic features similar to many of the narrow-strip cloths in many parts of West
Africa [5,6].
Many features of such cloths appear in the early and later narrow-strip cloths woven
in Ashanti. Given these historical accounts, it is believed that the Ashanti craftsmen might
have learned weaving skills from other peoples living north and west of them and later
developed their unique style of cloth. While kente cloth may have its roots in Eleventh
Century West African weaving traditions, weaving in Africa as a whole was developed
earlier. Elsewhere in Africa, archaeological excavations have produced such weaving
instruments as spindle whorls and loom weights in ancient Meroe Empire which flourished
between 500 BC and 300 AD. In other African civilisations in the Nile Valley such as Kemte
(Egypt) and Nubia or Kush, there is an abundance of pictorial and archaeological evidence
proving the existence of a weaving industry as early as 3200 BC [6].

Materials, techniques, uses and symbolism of kente

~Kente cloth is woven on a horizontal loom that has between four and seven treadles or
heddles (treadles help regulate the design; four produce a simple design, seven or more
produce a complex design). The pieces are woven into narrow strips that are about four
inches wide and five to six feet long. The garments are made custom to fit a male-or
female. They also vary in colours and design. Yarns for weaving come in a variety of forms
and qualities. In the past, yarns were either spun from locally grown cotton or unravelled
from cotton and silk cloths imported from Europe and Asia. Today, factory made cotton,
silk, Lurex® or spun rayon yarns are obtained from factories in Ghana and outside Ghana.
Various colours of yarns may be combined in particular ways to reflect the symbolic
significance of the cloth [6,7].
Quality of yarns used in weaving a particular cloth reflects on the level of prestige
associated with the cloth. Silk yarns are usually considered the most prestigious and are,
therefore, the most highly valued. Silk cloth, in the past, was reserved for royalty and
the wealthy. Several strips are carefully arranged and hand-sewn together (some weavers
. now use sewing machines) to obtain a desired size. Tradition has it that mainly men
weave kente. Women, in the past, played a significant role by spinning raw cotton into
yarns, dyeing yarns into desired colours (white, golden yellow, pink, purple, blue, green,
turquoise, black, maroon, orange and red), sewing strips together to form large cloths and
assisting in the marketing of the cloths. Today, factory spun yarns have replaced hand-spun
yarns, and therefore, the woman's role is mainly in the area of sewing strips together and
marketing the cloth [6].
Kente cloth is documented to be traditionally woven by the Ashanti and Ewe tribes who
wore them at ceremonies and other important events.Traditionally, the size, pattern and
colour are determined by gender, age, marital and social status. The Ashanti weaver refers
to kente as 'nwentoma' (woven cloth) to distinguish it from the factory-made cloth ('ntoma')
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 Development of Serkulture and Apiculture Products for the Poor in Fragile Ecosystems Using the Value Chain Approach

and the 'adinkra' cloth that is stamped ('ntiamu ntoma') by the block-print technique. The
'nwentoma' is of various categories: 'ahwepan' (plain weave); 'topreko' (plain weave with
simple weft inlays); and 'faprenu' (double weave technique that hides the warp threads).
The warp threads are laid in such fashion to give a name and meaning to the cloth. At the
same time, the weft designs or motifs are each given a name and meaning. These names
and meanings reflect Akan beliefs, historical events, individual achievements, proverbs,
philosophical concepts, oral literature, moral values, social code of conduct, human
behaviour, social and political organisation in the Akan society, or may be named after all
manner of people and certain attributes of plant and animal life. Thus, kente is used not
only for its beauty but also for its symbolic significance. There are over 300 different types
of cloth designs, each with its name [6,7,8].
Originally, kente cloth was the preserve of royalty and was worn only at joyoussocial
or ceremonial functions. It was not meant to be used for commonplace daily activities or
as an ordinary wear. Its use for making clothing accessories was limited to items deemed
sacred or special and were used only for special occasions. In many cases the use of kente
has a sacred intent. It may be used as a special gift item during such rites and ceremonies
as child naming, puberty, graduation, marriage and soul-washing. It may also be used as
a symbol of respect for the departed souls during burial rites and ancestral remembrance
ceremonies. Its significance as a symbol of prestige, gaiety and glamour is evident during
such community celebrations as festivals and commemoration of historical events, when
people proudly wear the best of their kente cloths to reflect the spirit of the occasion [7,81.
Kente cloth is no longer reserved just for the royals: it is for people of all social status. In
the past, only royals patronised kente cloth from artisans. Now with economic prosperity,
it has become feasible for the non-royals to express a demand for kente cloth. In a small
retaliation a kente was designed and named "wonya wo ha a, wonye dehyee" meaning
"you may be rich, but you are not of a royal descent:" The royals wore this to distinguish
them from the non-royals who had adopted wearing kente in the late eighteenth and early
nineteenth centuries. However, an individual may not decide to make their own design and
wear it. Royalty must first be offered the design and if it is declined then it is permissible to
wear for a non-noble [7,81.
These days both hahd-woven and printed kente cloth is more widely available to
ordinary folk and has been adopted as the Ghanaian national dress. Even in the United
States, kente cloth i c more than just fashion. African-Americans wear it as a statement of
pride in their motherland. The kente cloth helps Africans and those of African descent to
maintain and keep their cultural identity.
Ghana achieved its independence from Britain in 19E*f At that time, the kente
transitioned from a cloth worn only by royalty to a cloth of the people, being a symbol of
national pride. Ordinary citizens began to buy kente, a majority of which being affordabie
'factory' versions, they wore them for special celebrations. A new trend began and now
it extends from Africa to include the United States where African-Americans keep this
symbol of their cultural identity close to them as an important symbol to highlight their
heritage, and to be worn on days such as those during Black History month celebrations.
African-Americans hold close to them and renew their pride with their motherland by
wearing a kente cloth for more than just reasons of fashion; it is for inspiration, and a
reflection-of the art of their African ancestors from Ghana [6,7,8].

Political considerations of kente

The largest known kente cloth, measuring about 12 x 20 feet (3.66 x 6.1 m), is the piece
Ghana presented to the United Nations in 1960. This cloth is called 'tikoro nko agyina',
which means, one head does not constitute a council. This was to state that Ghana was
taking its legitimate place in the new world order ushered in by the wave of decolonisation
that was sweeping through Asia, Africa and other colonised territories. A popular kente
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 SESSION 2

cloth, 'Fathia Fata Nkrumah' (Fathia befits Nkrumah) was renamed 'Obaakofo Mmu man'
(One man does not rule a nation) as soon as Nkrumah was overthrown in a military coup
in 1966. During his inauguration as President of Ghana in January 2001, Mr J. A. Kufuor
wore a kente cloth called 'Dako yesere', which means we will smile one day [7J.

Integration of African silk in the design of kente cloth

for the Ghana textile export market
Kente is one of the world's best-known and most widely revered textiles. It is produced in
greater quantity, exported to more places and incorporated into a greater variety of forms
than any other African fabric. The value and prestige attached to kente can be increased by
blending the kente cloth with African silk (e.g. Gonometa silk, Anaphe silk, Epiphora silk,
Argema silk, etc.) to offer designs characteristic to only the African sub-region, which will
attract a large export market locally and internationally. The Commercial Insects Programme
in icipe is currently undertaking this research, but the technology and label of the textile
will be credited to Ghana and adopted by the Ghanaian textile industry as the homeland of
kente. This marketing opportunity is facilitated by the fact that Ghana now enjoys duty free
exports of indigenous Ghanaian textiles to the larger US market under the African Growth
and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
TheAGOA providedutyfree access tothe US market for substantially all products exported
from 37 eligible sub-Saharan African countries. It is the cornerstone of the Administration's
trade and investment policy toward sub-Saharan Africa, aimed at promoting free markets,
expanding US-African trade and investment, stimulating economic growth, and facilitating
sub-Saharan Africa's integration into the global economy. As of April 2006, 25 countries
were eligible to receive AGOA apparel benefits. Of these countries, 14, (including Ghana)
also qualify for AGOA's provisions for hand-loomed and handmade articles [9J.
The current stable democratic governance and the goodwill enjoyed by Ghana from
the international community and the determination by the Ghanaian government to
support all local micro-enterprises aimed at enhancing private sector participation and
development as well as accelerating economic growth has positioned Ghana well to
exploit the benefits of African silk and its incorporation into traditional kente designs as
value addition to attract higher prices at both the local and international export market.
This will help realise the government's immediate goal of alleviating rural poverty and the
broader vision of becoming a middle-income country by the next two decades (originally
known as vision 2020). Ghana is among a dozen African countries short-listed to meet
the millennium development goal (MDG) target of halving poverty by 2010 after lifting
significant percentages of their citizens above the poverty line, according to a World Bank
report released in Washington on Monday 23rd October, 2006 [10J.

References
1. History of Ghana (2006) http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/history/.
2. Ghana People (2006) Source: 2006 CIA World Factbook. http://www.theodora.com/
wfbcurrentlghana/ghana_people.html.
3. The World Book Africa Region Live Data Base (2006) Poverty studies. http://www4.
worJdbank.orgtafr/pubs/index.cfm.
4. United Nations Statistics Division (2006) Indicators of population. http://unstats.un.org!
unsd/demographic/products/socind/population.htm.
5. Asamoah-Yaw E. (1992) Kente Cloth: Introduction to History. Ghanaian Textiles Inc.,
New York.
6. Midwest Trade Group (2006) Ashanti Kente Cloth-More Than a Piece of Fabric. A
Part of Culture. Global Source for African Textile and Handicraft Products. http://kente.
midwesttradegroup.com/history.html.
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 Oevelopment of Sericulture and Apicatuu» Products for the Poor in Fragile Ecosystems Using the Value Chain Approach

7. Arthur G. F. K. and Rowe R. (2006) Akan Kente Cloth Symbols: Introduction. Akan
Kente cloths. November 18, 2005. Marshall University. December 1,2005. http://www.
ma rshall.edu/akanartlcloth_kente.htm I.
8. Arthur G. F. K. and Rowe R. (2006) Akan Kente Cloths and Motifs. Akan Cultural
Symbols project, Ghana.
9. Office of the United States Trade Representative (2006) Comprehensive Report on US
Trade and Investment Policy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa and Implementation of the
African Growth and Opportunity Act (2006) Prepared by the Office of the United States
Trade Representative. The Sixth of Eight Annual Reports, 2006.
10. The World Bank (2006) The World Bank Report: Africa Development Indicators (AD!)
2006. World Bank Database. http://www4.worldbank.orglafr/pubs/index.cfm.

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