Akan Cloths:
Factory-Made Wax and Non-Wax Prints

        

Wax and nonwax prints in Ghana can be traced back to the famous Javanese batiks that came to West Africa through various ways such as European traders, particularly the Dutch from the 17th century or West African soldiers that served in Indonesia between 1810 and 1862. They are now produced in factories in Europe, Japan and several West African countries. Even though the wax and nonwax prints are machine-made, they have evolved from the indigenous hand-made textile industry of West Africa.

 

                                 Variety of wax and non-wax prints in a fabric store

                                        

The wax and nonwax prints function as language or as a facilitator of the spoken or written word. Among the Akan, the messages one conveys in the print cloth one wears are likely to say something about one's identity, beliefs, or set of values. The wax and nonwax print cloths are also used indexically for religious themes, renowned individuals, historical occasions, popular songs and religious hymns, and everyday situations. They are also used to state proverbs and metaphors.

 

A woman wearing factory-made wax print

Some wax and nonwax prints combine written proverbs with visual forms to express certain Akan beliefs, values, and social relations. Sometimes it is simply the visual form on the cloth that elicits the spoken proverb.

Besides using the surface of the cloth to convey messages, either through written or representational imagery, Akan woman's dress designers also shape the garment itself to convey some messages. The manner in which the cloth is worn can also be used for very expressive communication.

 

Samples of Akan
Women's Fashion Designs

         Kaba design called Three Sisters                             Kaba with sleeve design called Ecomog      

The lower cloth (asee or abosoo shows the slit style)

Two samples of Kaba and long Wrap-around skirt

Samples of Factory-Made Wax
and Non-Wax Prints

          Nkrumah Pencil (or PEN)

From 1958 to about 1964, Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana had a penchant to use his pen to sign deportation and detention orders as a method of controlling political opponents. Some political opponents had resorted to violence and several unsuccessful attempts were made on his life by his political opponents. His pen was, therefore, considered mightier than the sword. This cloth was named Nkrumah pencil (or Nkrumah pen) to obliquely reflect the political reality of those times. When Nkrumah's government was overthrown by the military in February 1966, the name of the cloth suddenly became pencil (or pen). In recent years, as part of the rehabilitation of the positive image of Nkrumah, the cloth has taken on its former name of Nkrumah pencil (or Nkrumah pen).

A recent development is to name the cloths in English. Two examples are given below.

             High Society                                                                       My Hands are Blessed

Particular cloths have been named for the funerals of certain individuals. Popular ones include Major Kwame Asante and Ama Serwaa.

          
Ama Serwaa wuo ye ya - Ama Serwaa's death is painful or sorrowful.

Adukuro Mu Nsuo - Grove Water

From the expression: Adukuro mu nsuo akonno-akonno, manya bi ama me mpona anom!

Literal translation: May I find some sweet grove water to offer to my lover!

ABCD - Alphabets

From the proverb: Suukuu nko na nyansa nko.

Literal translation: Attending school does not mean that one would be wise.

Ahonnee Pa Nkasa - Precious Beads Make No Noise

From the proverb: Ahonnee pa nkasa.

Literal translation: Precious beads make no noise. That is, empty barrels make the most noise. A good person needs not blow his/her own horns.

Koforidua Frawase - Koforidua Flowers

Symbol of Urbanization, Economic Prosperity, and Conspicuous Consumption  

From the expression: Koforidua nhwiren, dea mede wo reye! 
Literal translation: Koforidua flowers, what use do I have of you! 
The ideograph stems from the conspicuous consumption by some rich people during the rapid urbanization of Koforidua following the success of the cocoa industry, and later the diamond mining industry in the Eastern Region of Ghana at the turn of the nineteenth century.

Afe Bi Ye Asiane - Inauspicious Year

Symbol of Misfortune, Bad Luck, and Inauspicious Times 

From the expression: Afe bi ye asiane.

Literal translation: Some years are inauspicious or unlucky.

Wo Nsa Akyi -The Back of One's Hand

From the proverb: Wo nsa akyi beye wo de a, ennte se wo nsa yamu.

Literal translation: The back of one's hand does not taste as good as the palm does.

Sika Tu Se Anommaa - Money Flies Like a Bird

From the maxim: Sika tu se anommaa.

Literal translation: Money flies like a bird.

Money not properly handled will be lost. Bad investment decisions will cause one to lose one's money.

Akyekyedee Akyi - Tortoise Back

From the proverb: Huriye si akyekyedee akyi a, osi ho kwa. Or, Akyekyedee a ope ne yere amanee na ose wo m'akyiri mmesa ma me.

Literal translation: The tsetse-fly sits on the back of the tortoise in vain, it cannot suck any blood through the hard shell. Or, When the tortoise wants to get his wife into trouble he asks her to plait the hair on his hairless back.

Engaging in futile enterprise serves one no good.

Ani Bere A, Enso Gya - Fire is not Sparked in Eyes Red with Anger

Symbol of Patience, Self-Control, Self-Discipline, and Self-Containment

From the proverb: Ani bere a, enso gya. Or, Enye obiara a ne bo afu na omuna.

Literal translation: No matter how flaming red one's eyes may be, fire is not sparked in one's eyes. Or, Every frowned face does not necessarily depict anger.

Odehyee Kyiniie - Royal Umbrella

Symbol of Authority, Legitimacy, Protection and Security

From the expression: Nea kyiniie si ne so ne ohene.

Literal translation: He who has umbrella over his head is the king.

Blocks

From the expression: Wo nni sika wonntwa blocks. Or, Yebisa wo fie woasi, nnye wo sika dodo a wo wo.

Literal translation: You do not build a block house if you do not have money. Or, We ask to be shown one's house, not how much wealth one has acquired.

Nipa Tire Nye Bofere - The Human Mind is not Like the Papaya Fruit

From the proverb: Nipa tire nye bofere na yeapaa mu ahwe dea ewo mu.

Literal translation: The human mind is not like the papaya fruit to be split open to see what is on the inside.

Huhuuhu - Rumors

From the expression: Huhuuhu nye me hu.

Literal translation: Rumors do not scare me.

Achimota

This cloth commemorates the founding of the Achimota School and College in 1927 by the then Governor of the Gold Coast, Gordon Guggisberg. The first Principal, Rev A. G. Fraser was assisted by Dr. Emmanuel Kwegyir Aggrey, a Ghanaian. The Aggrey-Fraser-Guggisberg Memorail Lectures series, given by the University of Ghana, honors the contribution of these three men to the development of formal education in Ghana.

Achimota's curriculum was very much influenced by the Hampton Institute in Virginia, U. S., and Booker T. Washington's Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, U. S. Achimota at one time or the other comprised kindergarten, teacher training, and university departments. Parts of the College were transferred to Winneba to start the Specialist Training College, now part of the University College of Education. Other parts were transferred to the new University College at Kumasi, now the University of Science and Technology. Achimota now consists of elementary and secondary schools.

The logo of Achimota, the black and white keys of the piano (as shown on the top part of the picture on the left), symbolizes harmony and unity in diversity. 

Afa Me Nwa - You Have Taken as Cheap and Easy as a Snail

You have taken me as cheap and easy as the snail

From the expression: Okun pa ho ye na.

Literal: A good husband is hard to come by.