RSS Feed for the unit Textiles in Ghana

Introduction

The Open University — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:56:07 GMT

This unit looks at the way meanings and values are assigned to textiles. You will examine how a piece of cloth can define wealth, status, and, in the past, office.

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Learning outcomes

The Open University — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:56:07 GMT

At the end of this unit you should:

have an awareness of the ways in which meanings and values are assigned to textiles;
have an understanding of the changing history of the making of kente and adinkra;
be able to discuss the role of the market place in the changing history of kente and adinkra making.

Except for third party materials and otherwise stated (see terms and conditions), this content is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Licence

1 The meanings and values of textiles in Ghana

The Open University — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:56:07 GMT

This unit looks at three kinds of textile used and marketed in Kumasi and its surrounding towns in Ghana – the hand-made textiles of kente and adinkra and industrially produced waxed cottons – in order to consider meanings and values assigned to them.

The unit revolves around a series of video clips originally produced for the course A216 Art and its histories. The Course Team filmed at the market in Kumasi as well as at Bonwire, which is a centre for kente weaving, at Ntonso, where adinkra is made, and at Wonoo. The latter three towns are close to Kumasi.

The unit requires you to watch short segments of video and pause to assess what has been discussed and further consider its significance. The unit will guide you in an exploration of the following themes:

Theme 1: The status of cloth-making

How is the making of kente and adinkra cloth regarded in Ghana? (What is its status?) By what criteria are the various cloths judged? How do you think those with Eurocentric views might regard cloth-making?

Theme 2: Tradition and modernity

Western stereotypical views of traditional art practices in ‘other’ cultures have tended to see these as sterile and static art forms. How is this view challenged by the video?

Theme 3: Gender and values

How would you interpret the significance of women’s participation in kente cloth making? (For example, might this suggest a new trend and value being added?) What evidence might you find in the video to suggest that women (and, by extension, women’s work) were regarded as belonging to the domestic sphere and stereotyped as ‘other’ by the men?

Theme 4: Collaborative and independent work practices

Which textile did you consider to be made more collaboratively? How might this distinction bear upon western views of the status of the cloth-makers concerned?

These themes are further explored in A216, which includes many other examples. The OpenLearn unit A216_1 The Louvre Museum is also taken from A216, and you might find it interesting.

Textiles from Ghana is structured as a series of activities, each associated with a video clip. In addition to watching the clips, you’ll be asked to tackle a number of questions that should help you clarify your thoughts and understanding of the material presented on the clips. You might like to consider taking notes using, for example, your Learning Journal on OpenLearn. Also, you might like to share your ideas in a forum.

Except for third party materials and otherwise stated (see terms and conditions), this content is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Licence

2.1 Kente

The Open University — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:56:07 GMT

Section 2 introduces you to cloth making in Ghana. In particular, you’ll learn the basics about kente and adinkra, the two main techniques used.

Activity 1

Once you’ve watched the video, explain, in your own words, what kente is.

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RSS Feed for the unit Textiles in Ghana

Introduction

Learning outcomes

1 The meanings and values of textiles in Ghana

2.1 Kente

Activity 1

2.2 Adinkra

Activity 2

2.3 Making kente

Activity 3

2.4 The manufacture of kente

Activity 4

2.5 Making adinkra

Activity 5

2.6 Questions

Activity 6

Discussion

Function/status

Media

Processes/time involved

What is being bought?

3.1 The people who make kente

Activity 7

3.2 The people who make adinkra

Activity 8

3.3 Training to weave kente

Activity 9

3.4 Training to make adinkra

Activity 10

3.5 What can we learn?

Activity 11

Discussion

Kente

Adrinkra

4.1 The functions of kente

Activity 12

4.2 The meaning of kente designs

Activity 13

4.3 The functions of adinkra

Activity 14

4.4 The meanings of adinkra

Activity 15

4.5 Questions

Activity 16

Discussion

Kente

Adinkra

5.1 History of kente

Activity 17

5.2 History of adinkra

Activity 18

5.3 Addressing the issues

Activity 19

6.1 Marketing cloth in Ghana

Activity 20

6.2 The marketing of prints in Kumasi market

Activity 21

7 Conclusion

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Try this

Acknowledgements

AV Material

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