Kanga
A kanga is a typical African piece of clothing that is about one meter wide and 1.5 meters long. It can be used as a skirt, dress or to carry the kids. While a kanga is just a simple rectangle, there are several ways to fold it and use it.
Characteristic for the structure of the kanga is the frame running along the edge ( Swahili : pindo), the middle part (mji) and in the middle part a saying (jina) in its own frame. The pattern and size are limited by the outer frame, in contrast to the kitenge (another typical piece of clothing) with a continuous pattern without a frame or slogan.
Kangas are mainly worn in East Africa , especially in Tanzania and Kenya .
See also
literature
- Beck, Rose-Marie (2001). 'Ambiguous signs: the role of the' kanga 'as a medium of communication' (PDF; 1.1 MB), Afrikanistische Working Papers , 68, 157–169.
- Erie Art Museum. "Kanga & Kitenge: Cloth and Culture in East Africa"
- Hanby, Jeanette & David Bygott, (2006) 'Kangas - 101 Uses', HariaStamp Publishers, ISBN 9966-7146-0-X
- Linnebuhr, E. (1992) 'Kanga: popular cloths with messages', in Werner Graebner (ed.) Sokomoko: Popular Culture in East Africa (Matatu vol. 9). Rodopi, 81-90.
- Yahya-Othman, Saida (1997) 'If the cap fits:' kanga 'names and women's voice in Swahili society' (PDF; 1.2 MB), Afrikanistische Working Papers , 51, 135–149.
Web links
Commons : Kanga - collection of images, videos and audio files
