Kente Cloth: History and Culture

By E Asamoah-Yaw and Osei-Bonsu Safo-Kantanka

This book is about the history of an African clothing material known as Kente cloth. All relevant cultural aspects of the cloth have been explained in details with several pictorial illustrations. The book traces Kente history and how it has been used since its invention, about four hundred years ago, by an Ashanti hunter.

The two authors are Ashantis and traditionalists. The coauthor was born into the industry at Bonwire. He received a national award as Ghanas best Kente designer and weaver in 2008. His knowledge in the art of weaving and his lifetime exposure to Kente traditions makes it imperative for all those seeking knowledge about Kente, the genuine African fabric, to obtain a copy of this.

The other important aspect this of book is the author. The book is the outcome of his intensive research on Kente cloth after his first publication (1993) of the book titled Kente Cloth: Introduction to History. This book is the history of Kente Cloth. It contains everything you need to know about this magnificent African cloth, which was created for special occasions only.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris UK
• Release date: Feb 23, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524596828

E Asamoah-Yaw

The author is seventy-four years old and retired at the time of submitting the manuscript of this book. He has four children and seven grandchildren. He studied economic science at the University of London. His main interest—apart from reading, writing, gardening, walking, and asking questions—is mainly centered on nature, especially the question on human life and its purpose. He lives with his wife, Mrs. Juliana Asamoah-Yaw, in their retirement home in Kumasi, Ashanti, Ghana.

Book preview

Copyright © 2017 by Ernest Asamoah-Yaw. 747609

ISBN:   Softcover      978-1-5245-9683-5

   EBook      978-1-5245-9682-8

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 03/25/2017

Xlibris

0800-056-3182

www.xlibrispublishing.co.uk

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgement

Preface

Introduction

Thomas Edward Bowdich Revisited

Chapter 1 Culture

Afrikan Cultures In Conflict With European Cultures

Chapter 2 Kente Traditions

Chapter 3 Kente Cloth Industry In Retrospect

KENTE CLOTH - Before 1896

KENTE CLOTH - 1896 to 1924

KENTE CLOTH - 1924 to 1957

KENTE CLOTH - 1957 to PRESENT

Chapter 4 Famous Kente Patterns & Significance

vi) ADWINI ASA - Kente Style

Chapter 5 Hand-Loom Woven Cloth

Hand-Loom Woven Kente Cloth

Design Definitions

Chapter 6 Photographs Of Classic Kente Designs & Patterns

Chapter 7 Kente And Black Culture

The Diaspora

A Critique Of Afrikan Cultures

Ghana Cultural Reflections

How Afrikans Destroy Their Indigenous Cultures

Kente And Cultural Awareness

Chapter 8 A Comment On Akan Traditional Names

A List of some Akan Last names

Afrikan Cultural Statistics

Bibliography

Conclusion

Dedication

This book is dedicated to five people who made my life worth living; my wife Juliana Asamoah-Yaw, also known as Abena Fosua, and my four children; Kwasi Asamoah, Akua Pokua Asamoah, Kwaku Badoe Asamoah, Afua Brago Asamoah: all my grandchildren and their children’s children.

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to the entire Library staff of the New York Public Central Library for giving me access to the book Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee by Thomas E. Bowditch: published in 1819.

I may sound naive, but I should admit that I do not know what else I could have done without it, because beyond that book, there is no known comprehensive single document which deals thoroughly with Asantes and their history between 1600 and 1819.

Secondly, the staff of the Ashanti Central Library in Kumasi, Ashanti Ghana cordially and professionally assisted me in many considerable ways, particularly with books written by Ghanaians. Although I am an Asante by birth and nurture, my understanding of Asante history, its culture and Kente cloth was greatly clarified after being exposed to several-less known Ghanaian authors. These authors’ perspective of Asante history, its culture, and the cloth, when compared with all other non-Ghanaian writers of Kente, opened a clear path to a better understanding. I am indeed very grateful.

Finally, the Library staff of (KNUST) Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana offered so much help that need to be mentioned here, especially the Chief Librarian at the time; Mrs. Helena Asamoah Hassan. The purpose of my initial visit to this pleasant lady was to inquire whether the library had a copy of Mr. Bowditch’s book in stock. Despite the congested scene of her desk which was grossly littered with newly arrived books, trays full of correspondence, computer gadgets, books with note tags, etc., etc., she welcomed me warmly and offered me a chair to sit and wait for a few moment. Ten minutes later, she cordially apologized for the interim delays. It was eleven in the morning and I immediately express regret for my unsolicited interruption at such a time. I announced that it was about a book on the Asante people which was published 1819. The title is Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee and authored by T.E. Bowditch, and I am wondering if there was a copy in the Library. A member of staff was immediately summoned to assist me. In less than ten minutes a revisited version was handed to me. It was different from the original copy I possessed; hence I asked if she would like to make copies for the University being such a rare document, and probably the oldest of its kind in existence about the Asantes. I told her how dependent I was on the book for my research work on kente cloth and Asante’s history in general. Before I departed her office that morning, she had already volunteered to review my new book when completed, and free of charge.

During the following seven months after our first encounter, every word, every sentence, and every idea of this book was critically attacked and meekly but sternly defended. Our relationship became like a smart little school boy and a bully headmistress on a theatrical stage. I cannot say much with regards to her tremendous contribution to this book, simply because it is immeasurable. I would just say thank you, Madam, for everything. This book would certainly have been totally different without you.

Well so far so good. This book had been ready for publication since June 2009, but due to its contents as a full colored book and its enormous cost, it had to be postponed till an appropriate time like this when the overall cost had become affordable. We should all be thankful to dedicated people in the printing industry who have simplified and improved color printing to the extent that most ordinary people can afford to bring their colorful ideas to the reading public.

Only a few weeks ago, my publishers proposed an irresistible offer to submit the manuscript for publication. Many things have changed since 2009 and updating the material is imperative.

Two weeks ago a Bonwire weaver (Mr. Kwame Manu) brought home a gentleman who has been searching for me since 1998. He bought ten copies of my book Kente Cloth: Introduction to History, as free gift to companions. He felt very proud to see an Ashanti writer writing something about an authentic Ashanti invention. The scene of our first day encounter was like an ordinary citizen shaking hands of the President of his country the first time. It was beyond my comprehension. To my surprise, this gentleman was a true Bonwirean, born and bred creative kente designer and weaver; and a scholar who is nationally honored as the best Kente Designer and Weaver. His aspiration of the subject matter Kente Cloth is not different from my own. He had read most of the literary works I am familiar with and possess a large collection of Kente stuff worthy of publication.

On the second day I met Mr. Osei-Bonsu Safo-Kantanka, I proposed to make him my co-Author of this book, and he graciously accepted the offer. His contribution has enriched the content. My last acknowledgement goes to Computer Science Department of Kumasi Girls Senior High School, particularly Mr. Maxwell O. Ansah and Evans Badoo; plus Mr. Stephen Akonnor Boafo of the Arts Department. I couldn’t have done much without their technical support. Thanks a million times for the precious time spent with me.

I like to emphasize here however, that I am solely responsible for every error that may be found. None whatsoever is intentional.

E. A-Y

Preface

This book has come about as a result of intense curiosity to find out exactly where Kente cloth truly comes from and the root meaning of the designs and patterns that make the cloth worthy of its name, Kente. My interest further expanded to the cultural and other related aspects of it. And the more I probed into these areas, the more I got deep into the history of Asante as a nation and its culture, or the race of people who have lived mainly in the central and partly the southern part of Ghana for over six hundred years; the Akans. It became clear during the search that the cloth’s history and the history of Asantes are inseparable.

Since the publication of my first book Kente Cloth: Introduction to History in 1993, many searches have been conducted in libraries, and several correspondence have been received from various sources including first time admirers of the cloth, academics, traders, and weavers. Many questions and answers have come out of the quest, and I feel it is essential that I share this experience with the reading public who may have the same loving aspirations of this symbolic African textile or cloth.

My attempt to read every known work on the subject also revealed that the history of Kente cloth cannot be isolated from the indigenous people of the area. The two are like Siamese twins. The aristocracy who founded the Asante Kingdom needed to appear glorified and nourished with distinction. They aspired to acquire exclusive material things to enhance their noble superiority and military invincibility, when compared with their neighboring rival states.

The most revealing document, which incidentally became my bible from which most expert Ashanti historians quote, Thomas Edward Bowditch’s book entitled Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee, written in 1817, and published in 1819, became my major dependable source for the earliest written work about the cloth. I was fortunate enough to find an original copy of the book at the New York Public Central Library on 5th Avenue and 42nd Street in Manhattan. It is a big book of nearly five hundred pages with detailed account of every conceivable subject about the Asante Kingdom.

There is no known comprehensive book that deals thoroughly with Asantes between 1600 and 1850. And for the sake of clarity, I have quoted several texts, probably more than one can imagine, and used them throughout this book. I do anticipate however that my readers will find the excerpts as insightful and irresistible as I found them.

Again I have inserted photo illustrations, computer drawn images of Kente designs, to show how interrelated the designs are. For instance, the illustrations are intended to show how most of the known popular designs came into being, particularly how each one was derived; as for instance, from a simple basic design: which itself evolved out of monotony of weaving cloths without designs. The naming of designs, how they are combined to form a pattern and how to name patterns to befit the cloth’s intended significance to its user as well as the occasion.

The last Chapter may be less significant to the study of Kente cloth, but it is included to show how typical Asantes assign names and significance to all things in their surroundings; as for instance, a discovery that there is no personal indigenous surname among the Asantes that has no definition and connotation.

In 1934 a principal lecturer in history at Achimota School, Mr. W.E. Ward wrote a concise history text book about the then Gold Coast colony of the British Empire The Short History of the Gold Coast: his conclusion of that book is so profound that I had to borrow the entire text as a summary and a chapter of this book. I found his perception of colonial Gold Coast at its peak era, more than eighty years ago exactly, the same as many of us have in the modern day Ghana.

The African cultural statistics at the end of this book is also included to show the number of indigenous cultures existing on the continent, (1,700 minimum) and how pertinent it is to Ghanaians to realize that one of our cultural products, the famous Kente Cloth, is almost the solidarity symbol which black people of African descent all over the world currently identify themselves with.

The statistics is also intended to magnify the multiplicity