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How do narrow woven strips become a kente wrapper?

A kente wrapper has more than one scale of construction: threads form narrow woven strips, and strips are joined into a larger cloth. Their arrangement contributes to the overall pattern. Museum examples by Asante-Akan and Ewe makers show variation, so one cloth’s strip count or materials should not become a universal rule.

5–7 min

Questions you could explore

  • How can the same strips produce a different visual rhythm when rearranged?
  • How do weaving the narrow strips and joining them create different parts of a kente design?

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