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Kikoy & Khanga
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Kikoys are exclusive to the East African coast, in particular Kenya,
where they are woven with the finest cotton grown in the region.
A Kikoy (also known as kikoi) is by no means a simple rectangle
of pure cotton, but a work of art inspired by the vibrant colours
of the coastline in this area, using old methods combined with new
colourfast dyes.
A KHANGA is a brightly colored piece
of cloth that many East African women wear.
Many wear khangas over their skirts while working in the fields
to keep the dust of their skirts. Khangas are also worn as head
wraps.
A khanga is roughly 5 feet by 3 feet which makes it perfect for
wrapping it around one's self. Generally, there is a border pattern
around all four sides of the khanga with a central design in the
middle. There is always a proverb - usually in Swahili - at the
bottom of a khanga.
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