Over the two weeks that I spent in Bhutan, I was constantly noticing small beautiful details. It seemed like every little thing required a closer look. And then, when you got closer, you would find the incredible craftsmanship that went into whatever you were looking at.
Turns out, that’s all by design. Bhutan has 13 traditional arts that imbue a sense of beauty into everything. There’s even a vocational school dedicated solely to teaching these 13 arts, ensuring their practice is carried on.
One thing I’ve heard many visitors say about their time in Ghana is, “It’s so colorful!” It seems like life here is extra vibrant, with many of the container stores being painted bright colors. However, I think the one part of daily life that is extra colorful are people’s custom-made clothes from African-print fabrics.
In 1958, one year after gaining independence, President Kwame Nkrumah made a visit to Washington D.C. adorned in a rich kente cloth draped around his body. This touched off the use of kente among many Black Americans as it became adopted as a symbol of African history and pride. Muhammad Ali wore kente for much of the duration of his visit to Ghana in 1964. But what exactly is kente?
Clothes are an integral part of any culture. They are used to denote status and rank, for spiritual purposes, for storytelling, for connecting with ancestors and any number of other things. They are also one of the most easily spotted and recognized marker of a specific culture. In Ghana there are a few pieces of clothing that are the traditional wear, and while it they may vary across ethnic groups, nationalism has allowed them to spread throughout the country.
Walking around in Ghana, one of the most noticeable things is the ubiquitousness of colorful fabrics. Everyone is decked out in loud patterns and bright colors, from every hue in the rainbow. A trip to the market reveals that you can buy these fabrics in any length you want and have it taken to a tailor or seamstress to have some wonderful, custom clothes made. However, the most common length of fabric you’ll see around is two-yards and it’s not made into anything at all.
Globalization. It’s a big concept that means a lot of things to different people. As technology, inventions and innovations have made travel and transport easier over the years, it’s only logical that bits and pieces from countries and cultures would scatter like seeds on the wind across the globe. And while the majority of the people in my community will likely never go far beyond West Africa, they are rather well versed in the world, through commodities and ephemera. Here are some of the things that make Winneba a global town.
Ghana is just like many other countries. There are the rural areas, far from the cities and capitals where people struggle to make ends meet. There are towns and regional capitals with large universities that are young and vibrant. And there are major cities, including the capital of Accra, where there are major cultural events, the wealthy elite in their fancy cars and creative movers and shakers pushing artistic growth. Last month, the three of those came together at Ghana Fashion and Design Week.
more “A Look at Ghana Fashion and Design Week”
Thailand is well known for its silk. It’s made from silkworms’ cocoons that are turned into thread and woven into beautiful and intricate patterns. But what is this fabric used for? How is it worn? Traditional Thai clothing, and what is understood to be traditional Thai clothing, is a really interesting topic with a somewhat unsuspected history.
Thailand is famous for fabrics, specifically its silk. In the video I made showing the process of making silk from the silkworm to the loom, you can see one woman weaving a somewhat intricate pattern. Traditionally, there are some main patterns that are used in Thai fabrics.
I recently had the chance to go to the Jim Thompson Farm, where they cultivate silk worms to produce Thailand’s famous silk. It was really cool to peak into every step of the process that goes into making silk. Check out the video!