BONWIRE KENTE
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About
According to legend, two friends from the town of Bonwire – now the leading centre of kente weaving in Ashanti – learned the art of weaving by observing a spider spinning its web. The fabric later became a royal cloth and symbol of prestige.
As production increased, the cloth became more affordable; but its special status has remained. At festivals and
other celebrations, local people proudly don their best kente cloths to reflect the spirit of the occasion.
Kente is worn for its symbolic significance not only for its eye- catching designs. There are over 300 patterns, each with its own name and meaning derived from proverbs, historical events, important chiefs and valuable plants.
