artisans and their art
KENTE
CLOTHThe origins of Kente cloth date back to 12th Century in Ghana. The cloth was worn during ceremonial events and special occasions by kings, queens and important figures in Ghanaian society. Kente cloth received its name from the term "kenten," which means "basket," because of the cloth's resemblance to the woven design of a basket. Ghana's weavers used looms to make four-inch wide strips of Kente cloth, and would sew the strips together to form larger pieces of the cloth. The finished garments came in various colors, sizes and designs. Behind each one was deep symbolic meaning.
Each Kente pattern was unique and had its own name. Weavers used vibrant colors and complex designs to portray the cloth's profound philosophical meaning. Kente cloth came to represent the history, philosophy, ethics, oral literature, moral values, social code of conduct, religious beliefs, political thought and aesthetic principles in African culture.
Today, as African-Americans gain a renewed sense of pride for their motherland, Africa, they wear Kente cloth for more than just fashion. They wear it for inspiration, and as a reflection of the artistic nature of their African ancestors from Ghana.
Many variations of narrow-strip cloths, similar to Kente, are woven by various ethnic groups in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa.
Photos
Left: Strips of Ewe and Ashanti Kente Cloth
Right: Illustration of Kente weaver at loom
Most
Ghanaian glass beads are made from recycled glass bottles, window glass
and old glass beads. Sometimes stained glass panels must be used to
create colors that are not readily available such as cobalt blue or red.
These are crushed into chunks, for translucent beads and into glass powder
for opaque beads.
For translucent beads, the chunks are placed into bead molds made from termite mound clay and covered with kaolin, a release agent. A cassava leaf stem is placed into the center that will burn out when fired in the wood-fired clay kiln. While still hot and molten, the molds are removed and the artisan turns the beads in the mold and shapes them until they are round. After cooling many hours, the beads are turned out and polished by hand in a stone basin with water and sand.
For opaque
beads, powder is mixed with colorants and the bead is slowly built up in
the tiny molds with small funnels and sticks to create designs of
different colors around the outside of the bead If you have ever seen a
sand painting inside a glass jar, it is the same technique. These beads
are also fired, removed to be shaped, cooled and polished.
Some beads are fired a plain color first and then painted with glazes in intricate colorful designs using a small stem as a brush. After drying, these beads are re-fired to set the glaze.
