What do Kente Cloth Colours Mean?

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 they mean:

Blue: peace, togetherness, love and harmony.

Black: maturity, spiritual energy, mourning, funeral.

Gold: high worth, royalty, prosperity, fertility.

Green: vegetation, harvest, spiritual growth and renewal.

Yellow: high worth, royalty, prosperity, fertility.

Grey: healing rituals, cleansing rituals.

Pink: mildness and feminine qualities.

White: pureness, cleansing rights and festivals.

Maroon: Mother earth and healing.

Red: death, funerals, mourning.

Purple: feminine, worn by girls and women.

Silver: peace and joy.

Bride in beaded green kente dress. Photo by Benan Kobiah.