Kente cloth comes in many different designs and shades 

No fabric is more associated with Africa than the vibrant colors of kente cloth. This fabric is instantly identifiable to African culture, and therefore is a big hit during Black History Month. Native to the country of Ghana, kente cloth has a strong spiritual value. It is a royal and sacred cloth worn only in times of extreme importance in Africa. Kente is called ‘the cloth of kings’ and over time the use of kente cloth has become more widespread. Kente cloth is easily identified by its dazzling, multicolored patterns of lush colors, geometric shapes, and bold designs. Each color also has a symbolic meaning.

Black - Maturation, intensified spiritual energy

Blue - Peacefulness, harmony and love

Green - Vegetation, planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal

Gold - Royalty, wealth, high status, glory, spiritual purity

Grey - Healing and cleansing rituals; associated with ash

Maroon - Mother earth; associated with healing

Pink - Feminine aspects of life; a mild, gentle aspect of red

Purple - Feminine aspects of life; usually worn by women

Red - Political and spiritual moods; bloodshed, sacrificial rites and death

Silver - Serenity, purity, joy; associated with the moon

White - Purification, sanctification rites and festive occasions 

Yellow - Preciousness, royalty, wealth, and fertility African legend has it that kente was first made by two friends who went hunting in a forest and found a spider making its web. The friends watched the spider for two days then returned home and implemented what they had seen. You can find a huge selection of kente fabrics on the Africa Imports web site or by visiting our Kente Cloth Page. 

IN HONOR OF BLACK HISTORY MONTH:

Sojourner Truth Sojourner was the first female black abolitionist. Sojourner Truth's fight for the abolition of slavery, women's rights, and her attempt to help former slaves, has made her a legend in American history. Despite the scars of slavery and the inability to read, she was able to become a respected and influential public speaker and advocate for the oppressed. Born in New York, Sojourner was sold several times before escaping to freedom with an infant daughter in 1827. She worked as a housekeeper, lived in a religious commune, and eventually became a traveling speaker and preacher. She was a spirited evangelist who spoke out for women's rights and against slavery. Her memoir The Narrative of Sojourner Truth (as told to author Olive Gilbert) was published in 1850 and helped establish her in the public mind. The next year, at a women's rights convention in Akron, Ohio, she gave her famous speech, "Ain't I A Woman," a short but stirring challenge to the notion that men were superior to women. During the Civil War she worked to support black Union soldiers, and after the war she continued to travel and preach on spiritual topics and as an advocate for the rights of blacks and women. Check out a huge selection of affordable African products by clicking on the links below!

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