Kente for Home

Kente cloth is no stranger to American consumers. For years, commercially made strips have been fashioned into spiffy bow ties, trendy kufis and handsome cummerbunds, and for years they've been draped over clergy robes worn by Baptist ministers. Kente is donned as a symbol of pride, displaying a connection to African ancestry. Yet its commercial potential knows no limits. Today, a Chippendale or Italian chair upholstered in authentic kente sells for a little over $1,000.

What few American manufacturers acknowledge is respect for the religious, moral and cultural values of the Ashanti people and their centuries-old tradition of weaving kente cloth. That's why Kente Ventures, a home furnishings company in Richmond, Va., humbly approached an Ashanti chief in Ghana for permission to do business with his village.

The resulting partnership, now two years old, benefits the village, which receives royalty fees from Kente Ventures to support programs and education in Ghana. "The shared investment is a way to uplift the infrastructure of the region and to celebrate and maintain the art," says Chairman of the Board Algin Garrett.

Village weavers (usually male) produce the kente on two-harness looms. They weave stories into the fabric--long-ago stories of Ashanti kings and queens, tales of wisdom, hope and harmony. Royal purple and yellow can denote a legend of sanctity; red, a story of struggle; and blue, a parable on peace.

"New designs are now being made for next year," says President and Chief Executive Officer Felix Tapawan Garcia. "Some of the cloths are named `Creative Defense' and `Family and Social Unity.'" Kwaku Ofori-Ansa, an associate professor of African art history at Howard University, researches all of the company's designs for authenticity. A Ghanaian, Ofori-Ansa is also a special assistant to the president of Kente Ventures.

Items from Kente Ventures' repertoire--sofas, chests of drawers, throw pillows, wall hangings, armoires, tables and dining-room sets swaddled in royal kente cloth--are on permanent display in Richmond, and they travel to outlets across the country. Upcoming shows are scheduled in Washington, D.C., Chicago and Beverly Hills, Calif. For further information, call (804) 225-0013 or (804) 225-0131, or send e-mail to kenteinc@aol.com.

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning