Kente: cloth, craft and care
English-language edition | October 2026 | bernard.ink
Kente: cloth, craft and care
Four things to know
- Kente is a woven textile associated with Ghana.
- Weavers make narrow strips on looms; strips can be joined to make a larger cloth.
- Designs can communicate stories, sayings and community histories. Different designs and traditions carry different meanings.
- People learn the craft through family teaching, apprenticeships and other learning settings. It is a living craft that continues to change.
True or false?
- Ghana is a continent.
- Kente cloth can be made from joined woven strips.
- Every Kente design means exactly the same thing.
- A skilled craft can be learned from another person.
Atlas task: find Ghana in West Africa. Use an adult's map to locate Bonwire, the weaving community named in the book.
Teacher notes
Purpose and preparation
20 minutes. Separate a sourced fact from an assumption.
Read the book aloud first. Have one copy available to revisit words and pictures. Pupil pages are suitable for black-and-white printing.
Suggested responses
1 False: Ghana is a country in Africa. 2 True. 3 False: designs have different names and meanings. 4 True. Ask children to explain one answer using the fact sheet. Bonwire is a Ghanaian weaving community; Kente is also associated with other communities and traditions.
Support and stretch
Support: Read one fact aloud at a time and let pupils answer with gestures.
Stretch: Ask how a source helps us check a claim; look at a verified cloth and pose a respectful question.
Teaching links
England KS1 English: discuss vocabulary and information. US Grade 1 SL.1.2: answer questions about information presented orally.
These are suggested links, not an accredited lesson or a complete curriculum. Grade 1 links do not apply automatically to younger children.
Avoid a universal colour-meaning chart or assigning personal designs the status of traditional cloth. The source below describes Ghana's diverse craft, not one unchanging rule.