The first ever Kente fair opens in Accra

Accra (Greater Accra) 6 Dec. ’99

The first ever Kente fair in Ghana to expose and create awareness of the different types of the Kente cloth opened in Accra on Saturday.

The one-week fair, which has brought together about 25 exhibitors from Ashanti and Volta regions, is being organised by Hotel Shangri-La.

Mrs Frances Sey, Head of Sales and Marketing Department of the Hotel, said the fair was the hotel’s quota towards promoting art and cultural, and tourism in Ghana.

It is to encourage people to appreciate the value of hand woven Kente, its usage both traditional and contemporary and its socio-economic value.

Some of the Kente clothes exhibited include: "Sika Futro", "Fathia Fata Nkrumah", "Abusua ye dom", "Adwina asa", "Papa ye nko Akyiri" and "Kente O.K", which is a combination of African and European fabrics.

Kente cloth is an African cloth belonging to all people of African descent and an important treasure for Ghanaians.

Kente looses its traditional image if it has no name or significance and traditionalists believe that distinguished people must purposefully use them on special occasions.

Bonwire in Ashanti is noted for Kente but its origin has of late been a subject for discussion with a counter claim from the Volta region.