Say it with a “Kanga” – [Fashion Orijinz]. eXxploring the Unspoken
Rihanna Rocking Kanga (African Textile from Tanzanian/Kenyan)
African fashion is just beginning to enter the mainstream fashion industry; it is common to go to Africa and see Africans dress in Western fashions but only recently are we beginning to embrace the vibrant colours and beautiful patterns found on cloths made in Africa such as Malian bazin, Nigerian ankara, and now the Tanzanian/Kenyan kanga. Rihanna was recently spotted wearing a stylish skirt and playsuit made from the kanga cloth and I was so honoured that this cloth which my mother used to carry me on her back as a baby was being used to recognise and celebrate what was African.
The kanga has its orijins in 19th century East Africa; Swahili women were intrigued by the cotton shawls worn by the Portuguese who controlled the Zanzibar coastline and started buying them in bundles of six and stitched them together in two lengths of three and made them into dresses. Once sown together it was said that the patterns reminded the women of the colourful guinea fowl, hence the name ‘kanga’ which is a direct translation of guinea fowl in Swahili. Soon the cloth traders picked up on the trend and were ordering rolls of printed material.
The idea of adding proverbs to the cloth is said to have been started by a trader in Mombasa named Kaderdina ‘Abdulla’ Hajee Essak at the beginning of the 20th century – his cloths carry the trademark “K.H.E. – Mali ya Abdulla” and can still be found in Mombasa today. The kanga has been labelled ‘the cloth that speaks’ because it is inscribed with a jina (proverb or message) along the bottom hem. They are the ideal medium to express oneself indirectly to loved ones, neighbours or enemies. A woman who has found out that her friend has been messing around with her husband can give a kanga that says, ‘naona ni shoga yangu, kumbe ni mke mwenzangu’ which means ‘I thought of you as my girlfriend, but alas! You are my cowife.’ The messages are endless, and Tanzanians and Kenyans are very careful about the kangas they buy and offer as gifts because it is not just about the print.
Fast forward to the millennium and the catwalks have had a taste of East Africa through kanga fashions. London-based designer Christine Mhando of Chichia London is leading in the kanga fashion industry, which she uses to make most of her designs. Her designs, so articulate and unique combine the rich culture of the kanga with modern Western fashion. The jina is carefully laid out horizontally or vertically and she translates the message for her customers so that they are aware that it is not just about the beautiful dress but the message that comes with it.
Chichia London rocking Kanga
Kanga fashion
So next time you decide to get yourself an African-print outfit, make sure yours speaks for itself.
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