Kanga (African garment)

The kanga (sometimes "khanga", meaning "guinea hen" in Swahili, for its brilliant colors) is a colourful garment similar to kitenge, worn by women and occasionally by men 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. Kangas are usually very colorful.

Origins

Kangas were inspired on Portuguese traders' "lenço" (handkerchief) which is still the name.The Indian traders in Mombasa and Zanzibar used to cut up rolls of scarves in the size of a Kanga and it seems that they got the idea of having designs made in this size. The first Kangas would have been without any writing, but it is thought that the words may have been added to the design around 1910. Kangas are sometimes referred to in East Africa. [Hongoke (1993)] 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. Madagascar also has Kangas, with the writing in the Malgache language.

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. Other countries which produce their own Kangas write the Kanga messages / names in their main languages - Madagascar (Malagasy Republic) uses Malgache; Zambia and Malawi also produce Kangas now. 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 wastedfact|date=April 2008
*"Kawia ufike" — Better late than neverfact|date=April 2008
*"Riziki Ya Mtu Hupangwa Na Mungu" — One's fortunes are planned by God fact|date=April 2008
*"Mimi Na Wangu Wewe Na Wako Chuki Ya Nini" — I have mine and you have yours -- why the fuss? fact|date=April 2008
*"Sisi Sote Abiria Dereva Ni Mungu" — In this world we are all passengers, God is the driver fact|date=April 2008
*"Fimbo La Mnyonge Halina Nguvu" — Might is right fact|date=April 2008
*"Liya Na Tabia Yako Usilaumu Wenzako" — Do not blame others for problems you have created yourself fact|date=April 2008
*"Naogopa Simba Na Meno Yake, Siogopi Mtu Kwa Maneno Yake" — I fear the lion for its jaws, I do not fear man for his wordsfact|date=April 2008

ee also

* Sarong
* Lungi

External links

* [http://www.glcom.com/hassan/kanga/kanga1.html Kanga pictures]
* [http://www.glcom.com/hassan/kanga.html Kanga writings]

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.
* Jeanette Hanby & David Bygott, (2006) 'Kangas - 101 Uses', HariaStamp Publishers,ISBN:9966-7146-0-X