ADINKRA CLOTH

Adinkra (ah-DEEN-krah) cloth is a hand-printed fabric made in Ghana. Traditionally made by the Ashanti people, Adinkra cloths were designed for royalty to wear at religious ceremonies. Adinkra cloth is hand stamped with a wooden stamp dipped in black dye made of bark called Adinkra aduru, thus giving the cloth its name. People in Ghana decorate the cloth by creating patterns with traditional Ashanti symbols, each having its own special meaning. Using the dye, they draw lines on the cloth to divide it into squares. Next, they press the stamps into the dye, and stamp the symbols onto the fabric.