Editing Ghana (section)

=== Clothing ===
[[File:Adinkra motifs Rattray 1927.jpg|thumb|[[Adinkra symbols]] by [[Robert Sutherland Rattray]]]]
During the 13th century, Ghanaians developed their unique art of ''[[Adinkra symbols|adinkra]]'' printing. Hand-printed and hand-embroidered adinkra clothes were made and used exclusively by royalty for devotional ceremonies. Each of the motifs that make up the [[Text corpus|corpus]] of adinkra symbolism has a name and meaning derived from a proverb, a historical event, human attitude, [[ethology]], [[plant life-form]], or shapes of inanimate and man-made objects. The meanings of the motifs may be categorised into aesthetics, ethics, human relations, and concepts.<ref name="LIT">{{cite web |title=Ghana |url=http://www.amadeus.net/home/destinations/es/guides/gh/cul.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150223225901/https://www.amadeus.net/home/destinations/es/guides/gh/cul.htm |archive-date=23 February 2015 |access-date=1 August 2013 |work=Amadeus |language=es |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The Adinkra symbols have a decorative function as tattoos but also represent objects that encapsulate evocative messages that convey traditional wisdom, aspects of life, or the environment. There are many symbols with distinct meanings, often linked with proverbs. In the words of [[Kwame Anthony Appiah|Anthony Appiah]], they were one of the means in a pre-literate society for "supporting the transmission of a complex and nuanced body of practice and belief".<ref>{{cite book |last=Appiah |first=Kwame Anthony |title=In my father's house : Africa in the philosophy of culture |year=1993 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York |isbn=978-0-19-506852-8 |edition=1.paperbackedition 1993. |author-link=Anthony Appiah}}</ref>[[File:Kent wove.jpg|thumb|upright|Kente cloth, the traditional or national cloth of Ghana, is worn by most southern Ghanaian ethnic groups, including the [[Akan people|Akan]], the [[Ga-Adangbe people|Ga]], and the [[Ewe people|Ewe]].]]
Along with the ''adinkra cloth,'' Ghanaians use many cloth fabrics for their traditional attire.<ref name="Ghanaian Kente Cloth"/> The different ethnic groups have their own individual cloth. The most well known is the [[Kente cloth]].<ref name="Ghanaian Kente Cloth"/> Kente is a very important national costume and clothing, and these clothes are used to make traditional and modern Kente attire.<ref name="Ghanaian Kente Cloth">{{cite web |url=http://www.kentecloth.net/ghanaian-kente-cloth/ |title=Ghanaian Kente Cloth |date=19 October 2009 |publisher=kentecloth.net |access-date=6 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140607002652/http://www.kentecloth.net/ghanaian-kente-cloth/ |archive-date=7 June 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> Different symbols and different colours mean different things.<ref name="Ghanaian Kente Cloth" /> [[Kente cloth|Kente]] is the most famous of all the Ghanaian clothes.<ref name="Ghanaian Kente Cloth" /> Kente is a ceremonial cloth hand-woven on a horizontal [[Loom|treadle loom]] and strips measuring about 4&nbsp;inches wide are sewn together into larger pieces of cloths.<ref name="Ghanaian Kente Cloth" /> Cloths come in various colours, sizes and designs and are worn during very important social and religious occasions.<ref name="Ghanaian Kente Cloth" /> In a cultural context, kente is more important than just a cloth as it is a visual representation of history and also a form of written language through weaving.<ref name="Ghanaian Kente Cloth" /> The term kente has its roots in the Akan word ''kɛntɛn'' which means a basket and the first kente weavers used raffia fibres to weave cloths that looked like kenten (a basket); and thus were referred to as ''kenten ntoma''; meaning basket cloth.<ref name="Ghanaian Kente Cloth" /> The original Akan name of the cloth was ''nsaduaso'' or ''nwontoma'', meaning "a cloth hand-woven on a loom"; however, "kente" is the most frequently used term today.
Kente is also woven by the Ewe people (Ewe Kente) in the Volta Region. The main weaving centres are Agortime area and Agbozume. Agbozume has a vibrant kente market attracting patrons from all over west Africa and the diaspora.<ref name="Ghanaian Kente Cloth" />

{{multiple image
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| image1 = Comtemporary Ghanaian men fashion.jpg
| image2 = Comtemporary Ghanaian womenswear.jpg
| caption1 = Contemporary Ghanaian men's fashion with Kente and other traditional styles
| caption2 = Contemporary Ghanaian women's fashion with African print/Ankara and other fabrics
}}

Contemporary Ghanaian fashion includes traditional and modern styles and fabrics and has made its way into the African and global fashion scene. The cloth known as [[African wax prints|African print fabric]] was created out of Dutch wax textiles. It is believed that in the late 19th century, Dutch ships on their way to Asia stocked with machine-made textiles that mimicked Indonesian [[batik]] stopped at many West African ports on the way. The fabrics did not do well in Asia. However, in West Africa—mainly Ghana where there was an already established market for cloths and textiles—the client base grew and it was changed to include local and traditional designs, colours and patterns to cater to the taste of the new consumers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thewrendesign.com/the-story-behind-african-wax-print-cloth/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925182125/http://thewrendesign.com/the-story-behind-african-wax-print-cloth/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 September 2010 |title=The Story Behind African Wax Print Cloth |publisher=Thewrendesign.com |date=10 July 2008 |access-date=24 January 2015}}</ref> Today outside of Africa it is called "Ankara", and it has a client base well beyond Ghana and Africa as a whole. It is popular among Caribbean peoples and [[African Americans]]; celebrities such as [[Solange Knowles]] and her sister [[Beyoncé]] have been seen wearing African print attire.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fashionmagazine.com/scene/red-carpet-society/2013/04/05/beyonce-vs-solange-prints// |first=Erin |last=Wilson |title=Beyonce vs. Solange: Which Sister Wears Bold Prints Best |work=Fashionmagazine.com |date=5 April 2013 |access-date=24 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216230934/http://www.fashionmagazine.com/scene/red-carpet-society/2013/04/05/beyonce-vs-solange-prints/ |archive-date=16 December 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> Many designers from countries in North America and Europe are now using African prints, and they have gained a global interest.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://munaluchibridal.com/african-inspired-spring-2012-collections-takes-over-lfw-nyfw/ |title=African-Inspired Spring 2012 Collections Takes Over LFW & NYFW |author=ChiomaChinweoke |publisher=munaluchibridal.com |date=21 September 2011 |access-date=24 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216214432/http://munaluchibridal.com/african-inspired-spring-2012-collections-takes-over-lfw-nyfw/ |archive-date=16 December 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> British luxury fashion house [[Burberry]] created a collection around Ghanaian styles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/26/african-style-finds-global-following-but-little-support-from-african-leaders/ |title=African Style Goes Global, Despite Little Tangible Support From African Leaders |first=Frankie |last=Edozien |work=The New York Times |date=26 May 2012 |access-date=24 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910140503/http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/26/african-style-finds-global-following-but-little-support-from-african-leaders/ |archive-date=10 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> American musician [[Gwen Stefani]] has repeatedly incorporated African prints into her clothing line and can often be seen wearing it.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.okayafrica.com/news/design-gwen-stefanis-l-a-m-b-spring-2011-collection/ |title=Design: Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B Spring 2011 Collection |publisher=Okayafrica.com |date=3 August 2011 |access-date=24 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216220100/http://www.okayafrica.com/news/design-gwen-stefanis-l-a-m-b-spring-2011-collection/ |archive-date=16 December 2014}}</ref> Internationally acclaimed Ghanaian-British designer [[Ozwald Boateng]] introduced African print suits in his 2012 collection.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.africanprintinfashion.com/2012/09/african-icons-show-at-nyfw-ozwald.html |title=African Icons Show at NYFW: Ozwald Boateng |publisher=Africanprintinfashion.com |date=10 September 2012 |access-date=24 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216215105/http://www.africanprintinfashion.com/2012/09/african-icons-show-at-nyfw-ozwald.html |archive-date=16 December 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>