The institution of chieftaincy is central to several Ghanaian cultures. Almost every traditional area has a chief who is viewed as the custodian of culture, heritage, and pride. As such, chiefs are accorded a lot of respect and honor in all aspects of life, especially in dress.
Cloth
The well-known Kente cloth is indigenous to both the Akan and Ewe, but it is used throughout the country, cutting across ethnic demarcations. The Kente cloth is arguably the number one national unifier, as many Ghanaians employ it as a symbol of national identity.
Nature of the Cloth
Kente is made by sewing together narrow strips of handwoven cotton or silk yarn, piece by piece, until a standard size is achieved. Kente cloth usually comes in two main sizes: female size and male size. However, it is possible to come across special (customized) sizes as well.
Materials
In the past, much more silk was used in weaving Kente, but due to the scarcity of the material, a lot of cotton and rayon yarn is currently used.
Kinds of Kente Cloth
Cloths may be classified according to the localities from which they originate. It is relatively easy to differentiate between Asante (Akan) and Ewe Kente. However, certain patterns are woven in almost all parts of the country.
“The rainbow is around the neck of every nation.”
The Kotoko (Porcupine) Stool: It is very symbolic that the great council of the king (consisting of the king, paramount chiefs, and priests) should use this stool. The porcupine is believed to be invulnerable to any animal, no matter how ferocious or carnivorous it may be. Ashantis have always seen in this animal a perfect specimen of their own moral, physical, and numerical invincibility in war.
The Baako-Ntena Stool: Made up of an equilateral parallelogram, in the center of which is a smaller parallelogram also with equal sides. The four sides of the smaller parallelogram are prolonged beyond the sides of the wider one, and the ends of the lengthened sides are made into circles, each with the top and base of the stool as tangents. This complicated but interesting design is interpreted to mean that man, by nature, is a social being; he cannot and does not live alone but with others.
The patterns carved on and around stools depict various things. The Odofo-Awaamu (the lover's back) is the symbol of the warmth of a lover's embrace. The Obaa-Asobon (the earhole of a woman) design symbolizes the delicate sensibility of a mother's hearing in connection with the requests and needs of her children.
The Chief's Stool: Believed to be the resting place as well as the symbol of the chief's soul. It is an object that inspires and is given great honor and respect. From a religious point of view, the chief's stool is much more important than any other.
According to Prof. Ablade Glover's Stools Symbolism (1992), stools could have other functions apart from their mundane uses. Most important is the very significant role they usually assume in religious and cultural matters. When a chief or queen mother passes on to the next world, for instance, his or her stool becomes an object of veneration and respect. Such stools could be “fed” or offered “drinks” during festive celebrations.
Stool symbolism can be proverbial, abstract, or literal, signifying the hopes and beliefs of the people and their rulers.