Colorful textile with geometric patterns in orange, blue, and yellow.
Asante artist, Ghana. Man's Kente Cloth (detail), early 20th century. Rayon; strip-woven panels of plain weave with weft face and supplementary weft patterning. 99.91

Asante Kente Cloth

Lesson Objective

Students will learn about the design elements and cultural significance behind kente cloths. Students will practice the art of weaving with an art activity to learn the basics of the process.

Introduction

West African kente (KEN-tay) cloths are full of colors, dark and light patterns, straight and zigzag lines, and horizontal and vertical shifts in design. The cloths are hung in museums but are also worn around the body. The Asante (uh-SAHN-tay) people of Ghana (also known as the Ashanti) use colors and patterns that have symbolic meanings.

Warm-Up Questions

  • Have you seen kente cloths in your community?
  • Take a moment to look at the main kente cloth image or the other three. As a class, share the colors you see.
  • What other details do you see woven in the cloth? What do you wonder as you look at these?

Background

Kente Cloths

Traditionally, weaving was done only by men, but today a few women are weavers as well. Kente cloth is woven on a narrow loom. Weavers weave a very long strip of fabric about the width of a hand. The strip is then cut into pieces, which are sewn together to make the finished cloth.

Left: photo of a person sitting and weaving on a loom outside, with another person in a bright garment standing beside the loom. Right: map showing the country of Ghana with a big blue dot showing the Asante region.

Left: Photograph courtesy of Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution

Patterns can be formed by the warp (the threads that run lengthwise) or the weft (the threads the weaver passes back and forth across the warp). The warp threads, often more than 90 feet long, are attached to the loom before any weaving begins. Their colors remain the same throughout the entire strip. Sometimes the warp shows as solid-color strips in the finished cloth, and sometimes the warp is completely hidden by the weft. Using the weft in various ways, the weaver forms the pattern blocks typical of kente cloth.

Diagram of woven threads showing warp and weft.

The weaver must measure the pattern blocks carefully as he works. If the blocks are different sizes, the pattern will not line up properly across the finished cloth when the strips are sewn together.

Unique Names

Hundreds of variations are possible for each kente cloth. Asante weavers rarely invent variations on their own. Instead, they choose from the wide range of designs established by tradition.

Kente cloth has its beginnings in weaving traditions dating back to the 11th century. In the late 1500s, as the Asante empire became powerful and wealthy, traders brought colorful silk fabrics from Italy, India, and North Africa to the region. By the early 1700s, the Asante had begun the practice of unraveling imported fabrics and reweaving the silk threads into splendid fabrics for the royal court and regional chiefs. Kente cloth has been known for its dramatic colors and intricate patterns ever since.

An Asante weaver might know hundreds of patterns by heart, each having its own name.

  • Warp patterns, which are strips of color, have names taken from proverbs, important chiefs or queen mothers, or historical events.
  • Weft designs are usually named for plants, animals, or objects that the pattern resembles.
  • A finished cloth usually has the same name as the warp pattern.
  • When purchasing a kente cloth, customers often consider the meaning of the names.
The image shows three textiles side by side, each featuring a distinct checkered pattern. On the left, black and white squares arranged in a tight checkered design. In the middle, a grid of alternating mustard yellow and green squares with orange and red accents throughout the pattern. On the right, a design with red and orange squares.

Left: Asante artist, Ghana; or Akan artist, Ghana. Man’s cloth. Cotton; strip woven, supplementary weft patterning. 2005.134.16. This piece is most likely to be Asante in origin, based on the geometric adwen (designs) and the use of the Akyem (shield) motif in the border and in the blocks of patterning. Two of the strips are noticeably shorter than the others; the weaver probably lost track of the pattern progression, as the shortage is equivalent to one full susudua (design block).
Center: Asante artist, Ghana; or Akan artist, Ghana. Man’s cloth. Synthetic, silk; strip woven, supplementary weft patterning. 2005.134.13. Because this piece has a solid color for the background, the cloth would likely be named after the predominant design element, which in this case is nkyimkyim, or zigzag pattern. This design symbolizes the idea that life is not a straight line, but rather is a crooked path that requires qualities of prudence, vigilance, and balance to navigate. This is an example of adweneasa (fullness of design) in which every inch of cloth is covered with weft patterns. Adweneasa cloths are considered to be the most prestigious of kente cloths and are attempted by only the most skilled weavers.
Right: Asante artist, Ghana; or Akan artist, Ghana. Man’s cloth. Synthetic; strip woven, supplementary weft patterning. 2005.71.9. The green and gold strips on a maroon background identify this cloth as a variation of the Oyokoman pattern, the oldest and most important cloth pattern of the Asante. It commemorates the civil war between two factions of the royal family in the 18th century; it offers a warning against internal strife and stresses the need for unity and reconciliation. Oyoko is the title of the royal clan, and originally the pattern was reserved for use by the Asantehene (paramount chief) and the royal family.

  • Turn and Talk: Look closely at the different cloths above. What do you notice? What questions do you have?

Symbols of African Unity and Heritage

In the past, the finest, most intricate kente cloths were reserved for Asante royalty. The Asantehene (the king) had a special assistant whose job was to select, store, and repair the king’s official wardrobe. Many patterns and designs could be used only on royal cloths. Even among lesser officials, it was bad manners to have a finer cloth than your superior.

Kente cloth has become a symbol of pride in African heritage. Leaders from all over the African continent and elsewhere have adopted it as part of their official dress. Asante people now wear kente for formal occasions much as Westerners wear tuxedos and evening gowns. Kente cloth is often handed down from father to son and mother to daughter as a treasured family heirloom. Today, kente patterns are often reproduced in machine-made and -printed fabrics that take far less time to make.

In the United States, kente is similarly a symbol of pride and unity for many people of African heritage. High school and college students and professors often wear strips of kente as stoles at graduation ceremonies. Colorful kente patterns are used to decorate nearly everything imaginable, from mouse pads to wrapping paper to furniture upholstery, making it possible for people to celebrate African identity in their everyday lives. Kente is also an important symbol during the African American holiday Kwanzaa and on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.

Ornate wooden chair with carved patterns and decorative elements.

Asante artist, Ghana. Chief’s chair. Wood, leather, brass. The William Hood Dunwoody Fund. 90.101

Two men wearing colorful, patterned robes and gold jewelry sit outside.

Photograph courtesy of the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution. Kente cloth is only one part of an Asante leader’s attire. The Asantehene (king) also wears gold jewelry and carries a staff or flywhisk.

Art Activity

Weaving a Pattern

Materials

  • Scissors
  • Construction paper (various colors)

Guided Practice

Take time to think about the colors that you want in your own textile paper weave. Consider the colors. Perhaps you want complimentary colors for added contrast or monochromatic look. Try using similarly sized paper strips, or make some thinner than others. Have fun and get creative with your design!

Instructions

  1. To make the warp, fold a large piece of construction paper in half.
  2. From the fold, draw evenly spaced lines, leaving an inch at the end and on both sides. Cut along the lines and then unfold the paper.
  3. Next, cut narrow bands of different colored paper to serve as weft strips, and add designs with markers or crayons.
  4. Weave the strips in and out of the warp to make a pattern.
  5.  Repeat with different patterns to make the weaving even more colorful.

Reflection

Share your paper textile weave with a partner, group, or class. Discuss why you selected your colors. Are they meaningful in any way? What about your paper strips? Did you add variety or not?

Additional Learning Activities

Colorful Meanings | Research and Discussion

When making a kente cloth, a weaver uses many colors, each with a special meaning. Look closely at this kente cloth. What colors do you see? Take time to research their meanings.

Dressed for the Occasion | Discussion

Kente cloths are worn by Asante people at important occasions and celebratory events like weddings, festivals, and funerals. What kind of clothing do people in your community wear at such events?

Minnesota State Standards

Social Studies

2.4.19.1 Describe how the culture of a community today reflects the history, daily life, or beliefs of its people.

Visual Arts

5.0.4.7.1–5.9.4.7.1 Respond: Analyze and construct interpretations of artistic work.

5.0.5.9.1–5.5.5.9.1 Connect: Integrate knowledge and personal experiences while responding to, creating, and presenting artistic work.