Object Details
- Nana Tiko
- Asante artist
- Label Text
- Woven by Nana Tiko in Bonwire, this silk wrapper is handsewn of eight strips with a repeating geometric composition of blocks with zigzags and checkers. In West Africa, cloth is made of wool, cotton or silk, or combinations of these materials. Woven on narrow strip looms, they are then hand or machine-sewn together to create large wrappers, cloths or blankets with patterns dyed or woven into the fabric.
- The cloth type is known as Asasia, the rarest and most prestigious of the cloths. It is woven on three pairs of heddles, producing a distinctive twill pattern in the diagonal alignment of the weft floats. The third pair of heddles allows for a more intricate weft pattern.
- Asasia cloths are the exclusive prerogative of the Asantehene and those he designates. They were traditionally woven by a single family of weavers in Bonwire. When Venice Lamb was conducting her research from 1968 to 1972, she was told that there was only one weaver in the town who remembered the twill patterns and that he was no longer able to execute them. During research as recently as 1997, however, several weavers were reported as being capable of producing Asasia. It was only commissions from the Asantehene or other entitled chiefs that were lacking. Regardless, it is evident that these are the most labor intensive weavings.
- Lamb, Venice. 1975. West African Weaving. London: Duckworth, pp. 125-128.
- Ross, Doran. 1998. Wrapped in Pride. Los Angeles: Fowler Museum of Cultural History, University of California, p. 81.
- Description
- Silk wrapper composed of eight strips with fringed ends and featuring repeating geometric designs in yellow, red, green and black checkered and zig zag motif.
- Provenance
- Venice and Alastair Lamb, England, purchased in Bonwire, Ghana, 1970 to 1983-1985
- Published References
- Ross, Doran. 1998. Wrapped in Pride. Los Angeles: Fowler Museum of Cultural History, University of California, pp. 81, 298, nos. 6.15, 8.
- Content Statement
- As part of our commitment to accessibility and transparency, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art is placing its collection records online. Please note that some records are incomplete (missing image or content descriptions) and others reflect out-of-date language or systems of thought regarding how to engage with and discuss cultural heritage and the specifics of individual artworks. If you see content requiring immediate action, we will do our best to address it in a timely manner. Please email nmafacuratorial@si.edu if you have any questions.
- Image Requests
- High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/
- Credit Line
- National Museum of African Art, National Museum of Natural History, purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program, 1983-85, EJ10579
- Early-late 19th century
- Object number
- EJ10579
- Restrictions & Rights
- CC0
- Type
- Textile and Fiber Arts
- Medium
- Silk, synthetic dye
- Dimensions
- H x W: 154 x 65.2 cm (60 5/8 x 25 11/16 in.)
- Geography
- Bonwire, Ghana
- See more items in
- National Museum of African Art Collection
- Object Name
- kente
- National Museum of African Art
- Topic
- Status
- Adornment
- Female use
- geometric motif
- male
- Record ID
- nmafa_EJ10579
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys7c7f4b200-1183-48c2-be0a-1743d2bb85bb
