A Modern Kanga from the Island of Zanzibar
A kanga printed for the occassion of the 40th anniversary of Independence of Tanzania. The saying is:
Kangas are large, rectangular cotton cloths (c. 150 x 100 cm) with a distinctive, printed text. They are worn by women from along the whole of the East African coast, but especially in Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Kangas are also worn by some groups in Oman, due to long standing, historical connections between the various countries. The modern kanga shown above was acquired by the TRC Leiden in 2004. It was printed especially for the fortieth anniversary of independence of Tanzania. The text on the cloth says: "Miaka 40 ya mapinduzi ni kielelezo cha ufanisi " ('Forty years of revolution is a sign of success'). In each of the corners of the cloth there is a symbol of modern Zanzibar: water, energy, health care, and communication.
Kangas have been part of the East African, Swahili dress code since the late 19th century, and are still regarded as an essential item of a woman’s wardrobe. They are worn on a daily basis in and around the home, as well as for important occasions such as weddings and funerals. But they are not static in their appearance. To the contrary, they are constantly being modified and adapted to the current political and economic situation and customer demands.
Throughout the decades kangas have adopted linguist and decorative elements from African, Arab, Indian and European sources. As a result, modern kangas reflect the international nature of Swahili culture.
Kanga designs and messages
The kanga cloths are brightly coloured and normally bought in pairs. They always have a decorative border (pindo), and a different pattern in the central panel (mji). The main patterns range from simple geometric shapes to depictions of locally important events and buildings. The distinctive feature of the kanga is the saying (jina), printed along the lower edge of the central panel. Most of the sayings are in Swahili, as this is the common language of East Africa. In the older versions these sayings were written in Arabic script, more recent ones, however, normally use Latin script. Occasionally sayings in English can be found, but these are generally intended for the tourist market. All of the sayings contain messages about friendship, love, politics. In fact, they may refer to just about anything.
 An early Kanga from Zanzibar (TRC Collection) |  | |
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Where are they made?
The designs on older kangas were made locally or in India, with hand printing using large, wooden blocks. More recent examples, however, are machine printed using vast rollers. The modern versions are usually made in Tanzania and Kenya for the East African market. Examples from India are sold in Oman as well as in East Africa, but they are not as highly valued, as both the cloth and designs tend to be of a poorer quality.
A modern Kanga from Zanzibar (TRC Collection)
How are they worn?
Women use the kangas in various ways: for carrying their baby on their backs, as a general wrapping around the body, and as sheets at night. When worn as clothing, one kanga is wrapped around the body at chest height in order to cover the breasts and lower parts of the body. The other kanga is draped around the head and shoulders, acting as a modesty veil. Nowadays, kangas are also sometimes made into a blouse and trouser outfit.
Women on Zanzibar wearing Kangas
Further reading
- Beck, R. M., 1995, “Text als Textil: die Kanga,” in: Wortwechsel. Sprache und Kommunikationsnetze. (Beitrage zur feministischen Theorie und Praxis. 40) Cologne.
- Beck, R.M., 2000. “Aesthetics of Communication: texts on textiles (‘leso’) from the East-African coast (Swahili),” Research in African Literatures, 31(4), pp. 104-124.
- Bijl, Marloes van der, 2006, "Kangas: The voice of Zanzibari women? Its present importance among young women in Zanzibar Stone Town, Tanzania," Khil`a: Journal for Dress and Textiles of the Islamic World, 2, pp. 1-23.
- Bogaert, P., 2002, The Krazy Book of Kangas, Zanzibar.
- Domowitz, S., 1992, “Wearing proverbs: Anyi names for printed factory cloth,” African Arts 15(3).
- Linnebuhr, E., 1992, “Kanga: popular cloths with messages,” Matatu, 9, pp. 81-90.
- Parkin, D., 2005, “Textile as commodity, dress as text: Swahili kanga and women’s statements,” in: R. Barnes, Textiles in Indian Ocean Societies, London and New York.
- Yahya-Othman, S., 1997, “If the cap fits: kanga names and women’s voice in Swahili society,” Afrikanistische Arbeitspapiere, 51, pp. 135-149.
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