Cultural Appropriation Of The Kente Cloth

Festivals, beaches, and parties is where cultural appropriation is most commonly found. American people wearing Bindis, Traditional Native American clothing or headdresses, and kente cloth is incredibly common among those with the post colonial mindset. A mindset that American people believe they have the rights to everyone's art and culture. Cultural appropriation, which is seen in a lot of minority communities is caused by the post colonial mindset that American, or Europeans are entitled to other cultures arts, clothing, and religion. The Kente Cloth, made in western Africa exhibits beauty, pride, and culture all in one. Due to the cloth being held in such high regards, it should not be disrespected in and shape or form despite if someone

Kwekus father, known for his kente cloth has attracted many foreigners to purchase his art. Westerners who buy his father's art use the traditional cloth as a decoration or souvenir rather than for what the cloth is meant for, ignoring the significance it holds for the Akans culture. The ambassador, who is a frequent buyer of the Kente cloth has put the art on the floor to use as a rug. When Kwekus father found out he is enraged because of the significance the cloth holds for their family. Angered, he yells; “What did the white man do with our Adweneasa cloth?” Kweku tries to reassure him saying; “Father, he treasures the cloth so much. If only you could understand.” The ambassadors way of appreciating the cloth is incredibly insulting for the family who worked so hard on the piece of art. He is disrespecting the cloth by putting it on the floor, walking on it, and using it as a rug. The ambassador blatantly disrespects their culture by not learning how to use the art. Furthermore, the cloth took many months of labor to make something so important to him. This art holds too much

Kweku and his friend Nana consider all African Americans white because of the immersion in Western culture. “It took an exquisite stole, originally ordered by an ambassador’s wife, to appease her the day his friend Nana called her white. Vanessa was one of those African-Americans who had more white blood than black.” Vanessa Has grown up in a post colonial culture despite her skin color and her ethnic connection to Ghana. To kweku and his friend, she might look black, but she has the mindset of someone who is white because of the culture she has grown up in. Vanessa Has never grown up like an African or lived like one so she can't relate to them which is why Nana insulted her about it. Because of her lack of understanding of Ghanaian culture, and how they treat the Kente cloth; she has unknowingly upset Kweku “On the day she took him to the beach and stripped off to reveal a kente-patterned thong bikini, however, the expression, “Now I have seen everything” came to his mind. Even as he enjoyed the rear view of the tiny kente triangle pointing like an arrow to the shapely cheeks of Vanessa’s bottom, he could not shake a niggling feeling of discomfiture.” Kweku is trying to be accustomed to american culture, and western ideals however he cannot shake