Bonwire is a famous Kente weaving village situated 18 kilometers on the Kumasi-Mampong Road. Kente is a beautiful traditional cloth, mainly worn during essential celebrations. The Weaving exercise in Bonwire was initiated by two people who emulated how spiders made their web. Many people learned to make the special cloth, and its supply increased rapidly, hence its price reduction.
A weaving tour begins with a visit to the community Kente workshop; you learn and attempt to thread spinning, twisting, and knitting. It is so interesting to interact with the best weavers to learn the several types and systems of weaving. Various village shops sell kente products and other village crafts.
Kente is a royal fabric and a symbol of prestige. The locals wear their best Kente Cloths during festivals and other significant celebrations to indicate the mood of the occasion. There are more than 3000 Kente designs, each with its own name.
Kente is an original Ghanaian handicraft that is internationally recognized. It was acknowledged as a national cloth after Ghana attained independence. There are several types of Kente, and each has a unique name that symbolizes specific culture tells the history and social practices of the weavers. It is a significant cloth used for different purposes and at varied events. Kente is used for both beauty purposes and representational confidence. The people weaving this significant fabric name it after oral literature, moral values, philosophical concepts, animal life, sayings, social behaviors, historical events, and individual achievements.
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The colors used to weave Kente are chosen depending on their symbolic and visual effects. Some weavers choose colors based on their traditions or other preferences. Additionally, Gender plays a vital role in determining the choice of colors; for instance, ladies love bright colors such as light yellow, light blue, purple, and pink, while gentlemen go for red, dark green, orange, dark blue, black, or dark yellow. The artistic beauty of a Kente is determined by its color symbolism.
There are several types of Kente patterns, but “Adwene asa” is the most decent and class pattern of all the patterns in the Asanti culture. The pattern is interpreted as the services being exhausted. It is generally the last word in the Kente clothes, and all the strips connect with all the famous designs. It is only one skilled craftsman can weave the Adwena because it was commonly made for kings and chiefs of Asanti. Occasionally weavers combine new royal designs, for instance, the famous “Fathia Fata Nkrumah”, which indicates that Nkrumah value Fathia was made in 1960 for Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana, and Madam Fathia, his wife from Egypt.
An assortment of handwoven Kente fabrics is readily available in various local shops at Bonwire. Kente is Knit on a traditional handloom; weavers handle the loom with their hands and feet. The activity involves the use of a needle, which tread the wrap are positioned between the toes.
There are enough accommodations available where tourists can spend their nights during their visit here. Kumasi and Ejisu are 19 kilometers from this village, and the town has quality accommodations. The accommodations feature well-maintained rooms, swimming pools, fast internet, and well-equipped washrooms. There are clubs; tourists can enjoy live performances and restaurants. Besides, there are good restaurants with already prepared dishes, both traditional and international, delivered on order. Drinks can be obtained within the village.
If you are planning to visit Ghana, do not miss visiting the famous Bonwire weaving village to witness how the renowned Kente fabric is made, you can also participate in making this cloth. You can visit the Bonwire weaving village any month of the year, the center normally starts operating from 9 am to 5 pm each day. Every year the Bonwire Kente Festival is customarily held to present new patterns.
