Africa is abundant with vibrant colourful cloths, which recount the stories of different cultures. One of the most well-known of these cloths is Kente: the Ghanaian cloth par excellence, which is closely related to royalty.

 

Developed in the twelfth century by the Asante people, it is still present in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Togo. Woven by hand from cotton and silk threads forming complex patterns with various meanings, Kente is a sacred loincloth, worn for ceremonies and important events. Although the exact origins of Kente are unknown, one legend recounts the story of two brothers. 

 

About 375 years ago, from Bronwire, a village in the Ashanti region who one day hunting came across a spider spinning a web and were inspired to create something similar to it. They returned home and weaved the first cloth out of black and white raffia cloth. Today, Kente is symbolic and representative of the history of the Akan and Ewe people, and Ghana in general.