Kanga and Kikoi: East African Textiles Looking to the Indian Ocean

KANGA

Kanga is the printed fabric of the East African cultural tradition in which references to the nearby Indian textile culture are clear in the aesthetic, which intersects with words and messages in the Swahili language of the coast between Tanzania and Kenya.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the kanga is the messages printed on it: these are Swahili proverbs, sayings, and printed phrases that represent a subtle yet powerful form of communication; a way to express feelings, criticism, blessings, or messages of love.

Kanga was born in the 19th century along the Swahili coast, probably between Zanzibar (Tanzania) and Mombasa (Kenya), thanks to the meeting of different cultures: Portuguese fabrics (“lenços”), Indian cottons, Arabic motifs and European influences.

One of the most widely accepted theories is that Swahili women sewed together six identical decorated handkerchiefs to create a single colored rectangle: thus the first true kanga was born.

Traditionally, the kanga is a rectangle of colored cotton made up of three basic parts:

1. Pindo – The decorated frame.

2. Mji – The central motif.

3. Jina – A Swahili writing, often a proverb, placed at the bottom.

A fundamental name in the history of kanga is that of the Kaderdina family, founders of the historic Kaderdina Hajee Essak company, founded in Mombasa in 1887.

The founder, Essak, left the port of Mandvi in India for East Africa at a very young age in 1843, landing in Zanzibar and then in Mombasa, where he began trading with the hinterland.

In 1907, the Kaderdina family moved their business to the historic Biashara Street location in Mombasa. One of their descendants, Hajee Essak Abdulkaderdina, was the first to introduce proverbs printed on kangas in the 1930s, transforming these fabrics into a means of visual and social communication. This shop's tradition continues with ever-new and modern designs, like the ones we offer.

KANGA CATALOG from likeUafrica

KIKOI

Still on the east coast of Africa, the kikoi is a traditional rectangular piece of cloth considered part of Swahili culture. The kikoi is worn primarily by coastal men but now also includes the Maasai people of Kenya, as well as men from Tanzania and Zanzibar. It is most commonly seen as a type of pareo, or sarong, given the obvious influence of neighboring India.

Kikoy, made today in various colors and combinations that I find very successful and in pure @likeuafrica style, are very versatile: they can be used as a scarf, stole, decorative towel, beach towel, sarong or be cut and used as fabric for your own creations.

Choose your Kikoi from likeUafrica which offers them in the following sizes: 1m x 1m and 60cm

KIKOI STRIPES and KIKOI classic