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Textile (1) - Cotton, Silk - Kenté - Akan - Ghana 
Middle of the 20th century - Good condition

The Kenté (formerly named Kita) is a fabric which originates from the ASHANTI people of Ghana and the EWE people of Ghana and Togo. It is the most famous of African textiles, with international renown.

The Kenté is known to be a royal wraparound skirt, a textile of sacred nature. It was only worn by Kings and notables during ceremonies. Subsequently, the use of the Kita has spread to customary marriage ceremonies.

The Kenté textile presents different geometric motifs, and traditionally, these motifs had a precise meaning related to the history or beliefs of these peoples.
It often incorporates human, animal motifs or represents objects of daily life.

Origins:
The Kenté is an African textile made of cotton and silk, crafted with a traditional loom. According to the legend, two Ashanti brothers, Kurugu and Ameyaw, from the village of Bonwire in Ghana, were gone hunting an afternoon and came across a spider, spinning its web. They were so impressed by the beauty of its web, that they wanted to reproduced it. When they came back home, they created the first Kenté textile, with black and white raffia fibres. The Ewe, locate the creation of the Kenté where they live, in the city of Agotime, and have pretty much the same legend.

Later on, dyes created with plants, came and made more complex the colour palette of the Kenté.

However, the Kenté is not limited to the Ashanti and to the Ewe.  It has later spread to other Akan ethnic groups from Ghana and Ivory Coast.

The pictures are part of the description. 
The textiles I am offering were selected with care by myself, one by one. 

All of the wraparound skirts offered in auctions were worn. 
We can sometimes note traces of wear, some partially unstitched bands, dyes which slightly faded off over the years.

Mid 20th century - Good 

Textile (1) - Silk, cotton - Ashanti - Ghana 

African & Tribal Art

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African & Tribal Art

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Textile (1) - Silk, cotton - Ashanti - Ghana

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