9.7.09

Ghanian Prints

Everyone always remarks upon spotting a brightly colored, finely woven garment: women of Indian descent in their flowing saris, Afghanistan's strictly sheathed mothers and daughters in their vibrant, pale blue, crocheted finery, and the eye-popping central African fabrics fashioned into dresses, skirts, and head scarves.

At Afropop Worldwide's page regarding President Obama's visit to Ghana, I learned that the colors found in that country's traditional fabrics each have special significance.

"Each color in the fabric has meaning, so we recommend some gold for royalty, green for a good harvest, pink and purple for a feminine touch, and blue for peace."

(by Danny Silva and Kwaku Boafo for www.afropop.org )

Below is a fine example of Ewe kente cloth:



Read up on the history of kente and even design your own over at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art: africa.si.edu

8.7.09

Call it what it is!

It's to change the name around here yet again. This last title -- esse quam videri -- was a somewhat psychological attempt to get myself writing with better direction and some passion.

Now that things are orientated properly, I'd like to change the name this time to -- per volar su nata -- which is the Latin (or maybe Italian) for "to fly upwards" or "born to soar". Again, it's a way for me to keep momentum every time I visit the blog and to keep an eye on the main goal which is to improve the content herein with every post.

I hope you're enjoying this space and if you are, let me know by posting a comment. I'd love to hear what your thinking about what you see and read here, so thanks in advance.