Questions and Answers about Culture & Lifestyle
Kente is an interwoven cloth, usually silk or cotton, originally native to the Akan people of Ghana. It is now worn by most Ghanaians and other Africans. Kente is known for its exceptional colours and patterns, which actually have proverbial or distinct meanings. Here are the popular colours of the Kente material and what…
Coral beads are actually the red exoskeleton of the Precious Coral or Red Coral Species called Corallium Rubrum. The Corallium Rubrum a.k.a Red Coral lives mainly in the Mediterranean sea, but may also be found in the Sea of Japan, Canary Isles and Bay of Biscay. The Red Coral contains calcium carbonate, magnesium and organic…
Maasai Shukas are for sale in Kenya Maasai Shukas (piece and wholesale) 1.5MetresX2Metres Shuka : Ksh 700 per piece Maasai blanket : Ksh1300 per piece Contact: +27715489605 Kenknit (Kenya) Ken-Knit’s wide-ranging product line includes knitwear, blankets, yarns, Masaai shukas, damas fabric, wool, polyester/viscose suiting materials, wool tops, bed sheets and quality garments. Tel:…
The traditional way the Maasais wear the Shuka is by wrapping it around their bodies and holding it in place with a belt. During cold weather, many still wrap the Shuka around their bodies to keep warm. These days fashion designers are becoming adventurous making clothing and accessories with the Shuka. Even the fashion designer,…
The Ashanti people began to print Adinkra symbols on cloth on the 19th century. They originally got the symbols from the cloth of the defeated king of Gyaman Kingdom in present day Côte d’Ivoire. When the Ashantis brought him down to Kumasi (present day Ghana), this was the cloth he wore. At that time…
There are two methods the Ashantis use in printing the Adinkra symbols on cloth; the block-stamp technique, and the screen-printing. The Adinkra cloth was originally printed from hand carverd stamps from calabash or gourd. The dye or ink for printing is derived from the bark of the Badie tree and the roots of the kuntunkuni tree. …
Adinkra was the name of a 19th century King of Gyaman kingdom, Nana Kofi Adinkra (now in modern day Côte d’Ivoire). Adinkra was defeated and captured by the Ashantis for copying their “Golden Stool” which was a symbol of “absolute power and tribal cohesion”. As King Nana Adinkra was been carried off to the home…
The shweshwe fabric is originally stiff, with a distinct smell. It is recommended to always wash the fabric before use. This gets rid of the stiffness and makes it soft to use. The fabric also shrinks a bit after washing. Photo-credit:
