Minneapolis Institute of Art

Man's cloth

Asante artist; or Akan artist

Date

20th century

Medium

Synthetic, strip woven, supplementary weft patterning

Culture

Asante or Akan

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Asante nsaduaso (Kente cloth) are given names related to the specific color and pattern of stripes used in the groundcloth. These names may reference historical events, important chiefs or Queen mothers, natural phenomena, plants or animals. Often, a proverb will be associated with the name, giving the cloth yet another dimension of meaning beyond the purely visual. The green and gold stripes on a maroon background identify this cloth as a variation of the Oyokoman pattern, the oldest and most important cloth pattern of the Asante. It commemorates the civil war between two factions of the royal family in the 18th century; it offers a warning against internal strife and stresses the need for unity and reconciliation. Oyoko is the title of the royal clan, and originally the pattern was reserved for use by the Asantehene (paramount chief) and the royal family. Asante or Akan, Ghana, Africa

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