the history of kanga kitenge and shuka brochure histo… · t h e h i s t o r y o f k a n g a , k i...

The History of Kanga,Kitenge and Shuka The History of the Kanga: Kangas have been in East Africa since the middle of 1900. In the 1870’s Muslim Women in Zanzibar, Tanzania and Mombasa, Kenya bought printed bandanas, imported by Portuguese traders. They sewed 6 of these colourful bandanas together to make unique pieces of cloth, which they could wear modestly. Still to this day kangas are used for many things such as to sleep in, wear around the house when cooking and cleaning and for carrying babies. T he History of the Shuka: The word “traditional” must be taken with a grain of salt. Before the colonization of Africa, the Maasai wore leather garments. They only began to replace calf hides and sheep skin with commercial cotton cloth in the 1960s, But how and why they chose shuka cloth is still unclear today. There are a few ideas. One of them is traced back through centuries — fabrics were used as a means of payment during the slave trade and landed in East Africa, while black, blue, and red natural dyes were obtained from Madagascar. There were actually records of red-and-blue checked “guinea cloth” becoming very popular in the West African region during the 18th century.

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The History ofKanga,Kitenge

and Shuka

The History of the Kanga:

Kangas have been in EastAfrica since the middle of 1900.In the 1870’s Muslim Women in

Zanzibar, Tanzania andMombasa, Kenya bought

printed bandanas, imported byPortuguese traders.

They sewed 6 of these

colourful bandanas together tomake unique pieces of cloth,

which they could wearmodestly. Still to this daykangas are used for many

things such as to sleep in, weararound the house when

cooking and cleaning and forcarrying babies.

The History of the Shuka: The word “traditional” must betaken with a grain of salt. Beforethe colonization of Africa, theMaasai wore leather garments.They only began to replace calfhides and sheep skin withcommercial cotton cloth in the1960s,

But how and why they choseshuka cloth is still unclear today.

There are a few ideas. One ofthem is traced back through

centuries — fabrics were used asa means of payment during theslave trade and landed in East

Africa, while black, blue, and rednatural dyes were obtained fromMadagascar. There were actuallyrecords of red-and-blue checked

“guinea cloth” becoming verypopular in the West African

region during the 18th century.

Page 2: The history of Kanga Kitenge and Shuka brochure histo… · T h e H i s t o r y o f K a n g a , K i t e n g e a n d S h u k a The History of the Kanga: Kangas have been in East Africa

THE ENDHOPE YOU

ENJOYED ANDLEARNED

SOMTHINGNEW :)

These are the linksof the information

that I found.

The History of theKitenge: Kitenge is the

kiswahili word for africanwax print that is

commonly used in EastAfrica. This fabric

originally came fromindonesia.These fabrics

were imported bysoldiers and are now sold

world wide. Africanwomen often use the

fabric to wrap around thechest, or waist or use it

as a headscarf or a babysling. This material isvery popular to use tomake clothing. People

use beautiful wax fabricto convey meaning and

social status or a symbolduring local traditions

such as marriage.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1CAHKDC_enTZ863&ei=QWecXqDmOszLgweji5KIBA&q=when+was+the+kanga+made&oq=when+was+the+kanga+made&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzIICCEQFhAdEB46BAgAEEc6BggAEBYQHjoFCCEQoAFQiakJWLeyCWD5tAloAHACeACAAccCiAG2CZIBBTItMS4zmAEAoAEBqgE

HZ3dzLXdpeg&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwjgitm04PToAhXM5eAKHaOFBEEQ4dUDCAw&uact=5&safe=active&ssui=o

https://www.gadventures.com/blog/story-behind-maasais-shuka-cloth/

https://www.tingatingaart.com/blogs/ourblog/the-story-of-kitenge