What is a kanga?A kanga is a rectangular piece of fabric of thin East African cotton. The kanga is designed with a border, a central pattern, and a saying, usually in Swahili. It can be a proverb, such as “a ripe mango should be eaten slowly”, or a message “don’t gossip about me”.
What can you do with a kanga?
Kangas can be used in many different ways: as a wrap skirt, a shoulder wrap, head or neck scarf; as table cloth, comforter cover, or as a decoration on a couch or wall.
Kangas are also handy during travel, as a dress, sheet, towel, or to carry your belongings – and on the beach.
Nice write-up on the kanga. I'm an international teacher now working 3 years in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Did you also know that the word 'kanga' stands for the Guinea Fowl ground bird that is abundant in the savannahs here? They have a feather pattern of white dots on black and usually have some spots of red on various areas of their bodies; most, if not all, kanga clothes include this pattern some where in their design. =)
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