Kente cloth is a handwoven textile that is steeped in history and tradition. Officially recognized as a geographical indication (GI) of Ghana to safeguard its authenticity and origin, it is made of hand-woven strips of silk and cotton. Kente is a Ghanaian textile. The timeline of kente cloth is a complex and fascinating one that spans several centuries.
It originated in the Ashanti Kingdom, which is now part of modern-day Ghana, and was originally worn by royalty and dignitaries as a symbol of wealth and status. Historically, the fabric was worn in a toga-like fashion among the Asante, Akan and Ewe people. Kente comes from the word kɛntɛn, which means "basket" in the Asante dialect of the Akan language, referencing its basket-like pattern. In Ghana, the Akan ethnic group also refers to kente as nwentoma, meaning "woven cloth".
Today, kente cloth is celebrated as one of the most distinctive and recognizable symbols of African culture. It is worn by people all over the world as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the African continent, and continues to inspire artists and designers to create new and innovative interpretations of this ancient textile.
Origins and Evolution
The earliest known examples of kente cloth date back to the 12th century, when it was woven by the Ashanti people using natural fibres such as raffia and silk. Over time, the production of kente cloth evolved and became more sophisticated, with weavers experimenting with new materials and techniques.
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According to Asante oral tradition, it originated from Bonwire in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Asante oral tradition give the origins of Kente to an individual from Bonwire who introduced a loom among the Asante from Bono Gyaman during the reign of Nana Oti Akenten in the 17th century. Another oral source states that it was developed indigenously by individuals from Bonwire during the reign of Osei Kofi Tutu I, who were inspired by the web designs of a spider.
It is plausible that early Asante weaving took influence from the Gyaman region, although likely in times previous to when oral traditions relate, these early cloths of blue and white cotton stripes bear striking resemblance to Bondoukou cloths and some others in West Africa. In the 18th century, Asantehene Opoku Ware I was documented by Danish agents Nog and L.F. Rømer, to have encouraged expansion in craft work. The Asantehene set up a factory during his reign to innovate weaving in the Ashanti Empire.
According to oral tradition, Ewe weaving goes back to the 16th century when weavers were among the migrants who resettled in Ghana from Benin Republic and Western Nigeria. In the 18th century Keta became the centre of weaving among Ewe migrants who had settled in Southern Ghana. The earliest description of weaving among the southern ewe was from a report in 1718 by a Dutch West India Company official during his visit to Keta.
Historical Timeline
- 17th century: Kente Cloth is believed to have originated among the Ashanti people in Ghana, inspired by a spider’s web.
- 18th century: Kente Cloth becomes more diverse and accessible as materials such as silk, cotton and wool are combined through trade networks.
- 19th century: Kente Cloth continues to be a symbol of prestige, wealth and cultural sophistication among the Asante and Ewe people. Kente cloth became associated with the pan-African movement and was worn by African leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah and Jomo Kenyatta.
- 2000s-present: Kente cloth continues to be a popular fabric in modern fashion, with designers and brands such as Louis Vuitton, Burberry, and Stella McCartney incorporating it into their collections. It is also often worn by celebrities on red carpets and at events.
The Colonial Era and Resurgence
By the 17th century, kente cloth had become a highly prized commodity that was traded throughout West Africa and beyond. During the colonial period, kente cloth fell out of favour as European styles and fabrics became more popular. However, it experienced a resurgence in the 20th century as African nations gained independence and sought to reclaim their cultural identity.
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Kente cloth became a symbol of resistance and resilience, embodying the spirit of African independence and self-determination.
Weaving Techniques and Patterns
Weaving is done on a wooden loom in which multiple threads of dyed fabric are pressed together. Weavers are typically apprenticed under a master weaver or company for a number of years before producing their own patterns. Gender has an influence on cloth production.
There exist hundreds of different kinds of kente patterns. Kente patterns vary in complexity, with each pattern having a name or message by the weaver. Ghanaians choose kente cloths as much for their names as their colors and patterns. Although the cloths are identified primarily by the patterns found in the lengthwise (warp) threads, there is often little correlation between appearance and name. Names are derived from several sources, including proverbs, historical events, important chiefs, queen mothers, and plants. The cloth symbolizes high value.Ahwepan refers to a simple design of warp stripes, created using plain weave and a single pair of heddles.
The designs and motifs in kente cloth are traditionally abstract, but some weavers also include words, numbers and symbols in their work. Example messages include adweneasa, which translates as 'I've exhausted my skills', is a highly decorated type of kente with weft-based patterns woven into every available block of plain weave.
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This is how to wear Kente Properly
Modern Adaptations and Controversies
Today, there is a still a wide use of Kente cloth in events such as ceremonies and commencements. Many universities, such as Florida A&M University, wear an Academic stole. This historically black institution incorporates historically accurate African art through the use of Kente cloth stoles. Traditionally, wearing a Kente cloth stole was a "college ritual of marking oneself with a visible sign of Africa" and "literally weaves ... wisdom of Africa" and incorporates the history and culture of African art.
In June 2020, Democratic Party leaders kneeled in the United States Capitol Visitor Center for 8 minutes and 42 seconds in protest, causing controversy by wearing stoles made of kente cloth to show support against systemic racism. While it was said to be an act of unity with African-Americans, many, including Jade Bentil, a Ghanaian-Nigerian researcher, voiced objection tweeting "My ancestors did not invent Kente cloth for them to be worn by publicity (obsessed) politicians as 'activism' in 2020".
There is also a controversy with Louis Vuitton's usage of a printed and monogrammed version of kente in their autumn-winter 2021 collection by American creative director Virgil Abloh, whose grandmother was Ghanaian. Additionally, questions of ownership of the woven craft, its image, and location of ateliers of production of kente. To this question of cultural appropriation, Abloh's response to the press in 2020 was: "Provenance is reality; ownership is a myth.
Geographical Indication (GI) Status
In September 2025, Ghana gained GI status for the Kente. Under the GI status, only kente cloths woven using traditional techniques and in approved Ghanaian communities are allowed to use the name, as the law protects Kente as Ghana's intellectual property. Bonwire, Agotime Kpetoe, and Sakora Wonoo are the towns where Kente is traditionally woven and approved by the Ghana Ministry of Tourism. Only kente crafted in the selected communities may lawfully be sold as kente thanks to the new GI law.
Contemporary Designers and Kente Cloth
Kofi Ansah, a Ghanaian designer who passed away in 2014, was known for his innovative use of kente cloth and other African fabrics. He designed kente costumes for the opening ceremony of the 2008 African Cup of Nations in Ghana.
Ozwald Boateng, a British-Ghanaian designer, has incorporated kente cloth into his suits and accessories for men and women. He has also designed kente outfits for celebrities such as Will Smith and Jamie Foxx.
Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection, used kente-inspired designs in his Paris fashion show in January 2021.
Symbolism and Meaning
Kente is a meaningful sartorial device, as every aspect of its aesthetic design is intended as communication. The colors of the cloth each hold symbolism: gold = status/serenity, yellow = fertility, green = renewal, blue = pure spirit/harmony, red = passion, black = union with ancestors/spiritual awareness.
Each weaver creates this patchwork appearance through a complex interplay of the warp (the threads pulled left to right during weaving) and weft (threads oriented up and down). These warp and weft motifs form a repertoire of craft work, as Asante weavers give each one a name that indicates clan, social status, or sexuality, such as AberewaBene meaning “a wise old man symbolized wisdom and maturity.” Other Kente design names form proverbs reflecting the Asante ethos and worldview.
Richly expressive and personalized Kente meanings emerge out of clever combinations of colors with various warp and weft designs. Kente cloth materialized the spoken rhetoric of proverbs and circulated them among the Asante as sartorial text/iles.
Kente in the African-American Experience
Kente appeared on the radar of most African-Americans in 1958 when Kwame Nkrumah, the first prime minister of independent Ghana, wore the cloth to meet with President Eisenhower at the White House. Coinciding with the Civil Rights and African Decolonization Movements, Black Americans associated Kente cloth with Black politics and the dignity of the African heritage.
Another important moment in Kente fashion history occurred at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Recognizing the need to honor the particular historical and personal struggle of Black students to complete a baccalaureate degree, Dr. Franklin Simpson, Director of Affirmative Action and Jerome “Skip” Hutson, Director of Minority Affairs, met with with two English professors, Drs. Christian Awuyah and C. James Trotman. Together the four came up with the idea of a Kente Commencement Ceremony, and on May 15, 1993, thirty graduates attended that first ever event called A Family Affair.
When Black students wear Kente stoles as a sign of their successful matriculation through higher education, they transform their bodies into living, breathing proverbs. The Asante stylized their values and ethics through the poetics of Kente. Kente’s Diasporic genealogy weaves a pattern of African knowledge and pride across the Middle Passage and onto the capped and gowned bodies of Black American graduates.
Resources to Learn More About Kente
- A Visit to Bonwire Kente Weaving Center | How Kente is Made | Twi Edition
- The Only True Origin Story of Asante Kente
- Kente Weaving | Not just a cloth it is our heritage
- Kente cloth (Asante and Ewe peoples) by Dr. This spring thousands of college students will march across commencement stages to receive their degrees.
