Kente cloth is a traditional handwoven fabric that comes from the Akan peoples of Ghana. My father and half-brothers were born in Ghana, and my family has shaped my understanding of kente cloth.
My late grandfather’s kente cloth has hung in my parents’ living room for decades. The colorful, hand-woven fabric, in a design called Aberewa Bene (wise old lady), serves a dual purpose for us. It is the background for years of family photos. For visitors, the kente is a declaration of our family’s Ghanaian heritage. My father’s father died before I was born, but his cloth has allowed me to feel his presence throughout my life.
At my wedding, I asked my father and brothers to wear similar kente cloth robes as they walked down the aisle. And during my daughter’s outdooring, or naming ceremony, she was draped in yellow cloth as she was introduced to our community.
Those are the proper places for kente cloth. Monday’s display was an incorrect use, however well-intentioned. If you’re going to appropriate my culture, at least learn exactly what it is.
Nana Efua Mumford – The Washington Post – June 11, 2020.
