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In Ghana, types of cloth and the design of textiles are about more than just fashion. Woven Kente cloth is a great status symbol, marking wealth and, in the past, office - something to be worn on important occasions and by important people. Adinkra is a printed fabric, hand-made and worn mainly for funerals, which are very important celebrations in Ghana. The tracks on this album introduce the Kente weavers and Adinkra workers, show the creative processes behind the textiles they make, and reveal how traditional designs remain relevant. This material is taken from The Open University Course A216 Art and its histories.
Track 8: Ghana: Kumasi Market
John Picton goes to the market in Kumasi to look at factory printed cloth to see how it is still influenced by traditional designs. He also looks at the history of the modern printed cloths and how manufacturers try to keep pace with changing societies
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Tracks in this podcast:
| Track | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Textiles in Ghana | A short introduction to this album. Play now Textiles in Ghana |
| 2 | Ghana: Introduction to Kente weaving | A short history of the tradition of the Kente weavers in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Nana Asante Fremprong, a local businessman and master weaver, describes the method and skills involved in the process and how it's been updated without the loss of traditional values Play now Ghana: Introduction to Kente weaving |
| 3 | Ghana: Who are the Kente weavers? | A look at how weaving in the Ashanti region has changed with the introduction of women to the workforce and how weaving offers a high status and great opportunities to those who are skilled in it Play now Ghana: Who are the Kente weavers? |
| 4 | Ghana: Kente past and present | The origin, meanings and tradition of the patterns of Kente cloth is explained in more detail. The need to create new and saleable designs is also discussed Play now Ghana: Kente past and present |
| 5 | Ghana: Introduction to Adinkra | The tradition of Adinkra. The making of a printed cloth, mainly used for funerals, following the process of dying and painting the fabric Play now Ghana: Introduction to Adinkra |
| 6 | Ghana: Adinkra Workers | The importance of symbols in the tradition of Adinkra and how new symbols are being added to the repertoire Play now Ghana: Adinkra Workers |
| 7 | Ghana: The past and present Adinkra | An overview of the importance of the traditional printing and weaving methods to the local people and how they incorporate new designs into their work Play now Ghana: The past and present Adinkra |
| 8 | Ghana: Kumasi Market | John Picton goes to the market in Kumasi to look at factory printed cloth to see how it is still influenced by traditional designs. He also looks at the history of the modern printed cloths and how manufacturers try to keep pace with changing societies Play now Ghana: Kumasi Market |
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