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THE ASHANTI REGION |
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| Places of Interest |
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ADANWOMASE: The Home of Quality Kente Cloth & Friendly Cultural Tourism
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Although there are a variety of oral histories concerning the origins of Kente Cloth, historians and scholars agree that Kente Cloth production is an extension of centuries of strip-weaving in West Africa. Strip-weaving has existed in West Africa since the 11th century. Most scholars believe that the art form was developed in present-day Mali and spread throughout West Africa through trade and migration.
In 1697, the Ashanti King, desiring hand-woven cloth, commissioned one of his sub-chiefs, the Akyimpimhene, to send people from the towns of Adanwomase, Asotwe, Bonwire, and Wonoo to study strip-weaving in Bontuku, a small village in present-day Ivory Coast. When they returned, the apprentices were given swatches of fabric with specific patterns on them that they were told to study and be able to recreate on demand. These patterns were called Sesea and are considered to be the first examples of true Ashanti Kente Cloth. The original centuries-old Sesea swatches are to this day kept in the Kente Chief’s house in Adanwomase.
Since the first apprentices returned from Bontuku, Adanwomase has been the royal weaving village for the Ashanti King. The apprentices spread the art of Kente-weaving to their friends and families and in the process added their own designs and colors, creating the cloth that today is recognized worldwide as Ashanti Kente.
To this day, Adanwomase carries on the centuries-old Kente-weaving tradition. Under the guidance of the Kente Chief, Adanwomase weavers continue to weave cloths for the Ashanti King, royals, and anyone in the world who appreciates the history and cultural significance woven into Ashanti Kente.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Kente Tour
A trained tour guide will teach you the history, meanings and production steps of Ashanti Kente Cloth, offering you a chance to try your hand at thread spinning, warping and weaving.
Town Tour
Learn Adanwomase’s history and culture by visiting the chief’s palace, the traditional healer’s shrine, Adanwomase’s first house, cocoa farms, a forest shrine, and much more.
Culinary Tour
Visit farms, see how palm wine is tapped, and learn how to prepare (and eat) traditional dishes with an expert cook.
Kente Cloth Workshop
Learn how to weave Kente Cloth from master weavers.
Cultural Drumming, Dancing, And Storytelling
Witness a drumming and dancing troop from Adanwomase. Also and elder will entertain you with cultural storytelling in English.
Live With A Family
Learn about everyday life in a traditional Kente Cloth-weaving town. Sleep in a traditional household and perform daily activities with your host family.
The Adanwomase Tourism Management Team is a community-based volunteer organization responsible for promoting friendly, hassle-free tourism in Adanwomase. All profits earned through tourism benefit the entire community.
Contact Information
Adanwomase Tourism Management Team
P.O. Box KS 8309
Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana
Telephone
233-20-847-1924
233-20-817-2305
Email
adanwomasetmt@yahoo.com
Read more about Adanwomase in the Visit Adanwomase brochure. |
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