Kanga (African garment)

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A simplified illustration of a kanga. (1) pindo; (2) mji; (3) jina. The jina of this kanga is Bahati ni upepo sasa upo kwangu, which can be translated as "Luck is like the (blowing of the) wind, now it is on my side"

The kanga (sometimes khanga) is a colourful garment similar to kitenge, worn by women throughout Eastern Africa. It is a piece of printed cotton fabric, about 1,5m by 1m, often with a border along all four sides (called pindo in Swahili), the East African lingua franca, and a central part (mji) which differs in design from the borders.

[edit] Origins

Kangas drying on a line in Paje, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Kangas were brought to East Africa in mid-19th century by Indian and Arab traders^[1]. The kanga was in the past confined to coastal communities (e.g. Zanzibar). Nowadays it is worn throughout Tanzania and other parts of East Africa.

[edit] Communication vehicle

One of the longer edges of the mji features a strip which contains a message in Swahili, or less commonly in Arabic or Comorian. This message is called the jina (literally 'name') of the kanga. Messages are often in the form of riddles or proverbs. Some examples:

• Wema hauozi — Kindness is never wasted
• Kawia ufike — Better late than never

[edit] See also

• Sarong
• Lungi

[edit] External links

• Kanga pictures
• Kanga writings

[edit] References and notes

• Beck, Rose-Marie (2001) 'Ambiguous signs: the role of the 'kanga' as a medium of communication', Afrikanistische Arbeitspapiere, 68, 157-169.
• Hongoke, Christine J. (1993) The effects of Khanga inscription as a communication vehicle in Tanzania, Research report, 19. Dar es Salaam: Women's Research and Documentation Project.
• Linnebuhr, E. (1992) 'Kanga: popular cloths with messages', in Werner Graebner (ed.) Sokomoko: Popular Culture in East Africa (Matatu vol. 9). Rodopi, 81-90.
• Parkin, David (2004) 'Textile as commodity, dress as text: Swahili kanga and women's statements', in Ruth Barnes (ed.) Textiles in Indian Ocean Societies. London/New York: Routledge, 47-67.
• Yahya-Othman, Saida (1997) 'If the cap fits: 'kanga' names and women's voice in Swahili society', Afrikanistische Arbeitspapiere, 51, 135-149.