Kanga Collection

Kanga is a single sheet of cloth that beautifies women’s lives in Tanzania and Kenya. With bright and bold designs, this cloth has been worn since the second half of the nineteenth century as a garment wrapped around the body, and may be regarded as a symbol of Swahili culture. Even today, kanga is widely used in everyday life and on ceremonial occasions such as weddings and funerals. Its most defining characteristic is the Swahili phrase, known as the Jina or ‘name’, printed in the centre. The phrase acts as a communication tool in many aspects of social life. This book introduces a selection of the finest kanga in the author’s collection and touches on a little known history between kanga and Japan. Chieko Orimoto walks the reader through every aspect of kanga’s charm. All content is presented in three languages: English, Japanese, and Kiswahili.