In May of 2022, the Ghanaian Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, called for the decolonization of dress codes in the Ghanaian parliament. Since colonization, the parliament in Ghana has had a dress code that bans Indigenous dress. Instead, the dress code forces parliamentary members to wear "proper dress." For men, this includes dress shoes; a coat; a tie; a long-sleeved, collared shirt; and long trousers. For women, this means wearing "decent formal business wear."

 

In the early 1900s, British colonial rule in Ghana restricted the wearing of "flamboyant dress expressions" of wealth anywhere in public. They viewed these intricate signs of status as a threat to their control, and it is only because of protests that Ghanaian citizens are now allowed to wear their Indigenous dress in public, if not in parliament.

 

West-African dress has deep meaning and cultural importance. Each design and colour has its own name and meaning, identifying one's job, class, age, gender, or religion. Orange symbolizes wealth, blue peace, green fertility, and black heritage. 

 

The kente cloth, a style of West African dress that has existed since the eleventh century, is, like many other Ghanaian textiles, completely hand-woven. It is traditionally made of silk, and was originally only worn by royalty. It has hundreds of designs, each with their own name and significance. The zig-zag symbolizes a rough path, that life is not easy or smooth. Another pattern, "Woforo Dua Pa A," translates to “when one climbs a tree that has ripe fruits, one is given a good push.” In other words, when one fights for a good cause, they will be supported by those around them. Another, named after Fatima Nkrumah, the wife of the first president of Ghana post-independence, symbolizes unity and an avoidance of racism or discrimination. 

 

Despite this rich history, Indigenous Ghanaian dress is being worn less and less often. A huge part of this is due to the Fast-Fashion Industry. With trends moving so quickly, people are donating more and more of their no-longer-stylish clothes, and at a far faster pace than usual. Thrift stores are overwhelmed, so many of them are sending their unsold products to countries in Africa, like Ghana. While this may at first appear to be an act of kindness, it is having huge consequences. Many of the clothes that Ghanaians receive are ripped, stained, or otherwise unwearable. These clothes end up in landfills, polluting oceans and suffocating towns. Even with so many ruined clothes, their is still an excess of clothing. This means that even more clothing is ending up in landfills, and that the ones that aren't are sold at cheap prices. This excess of cheap clothes is lowering the demand for Indigenous dress. Citizens often only wear Indigenous clothing for special events, leading tailors to hike up their prices so that they can make a living on so few sales.

 

Colonization and fast-fashion has lead to the misconception that Indigenous dress is Inferior to western clothing.

Overall, Indigenous dress is becoming less and less common.

 

Fortunately, with people like Bagbin, change is being made. A lot of these changes began with Kwame Nkrumah, the first Prime Minister of Ghana post-colonization. Kwame Nkrumah is credited with making the Kente globally known. He, like Bagbin, advocated for the decolonisation of Ghanaian dress. In 1958 and 1960, Nkrumah met US President Eisenhower while wearing kente. His advocacy led to a symbolic connection between decolonization and Ghanaian dress, turning textiles into symbols of freedom and independence. While there is still a long way to go in terms of colonization, a lot of progress has been made, and fashion is at the centre of it all.

 

 

Sources:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371761772_DECOLONISING_GHANAIAN_PARLIAMENTARY_DRESS_CODE  

https://kitengestore.com/everything-need-know-kente/  

https://www.housebeautiful.com/design-inspiration/a33670853/what-is-kente-cloth/  

https://www.thulatula.com/blogs/community/your-ultimate-guide-to-ghana-kente-cloth