and slaves. Merchant goods came with a bonus package in the form of Islam.

Kangas, Kitenges and Kikois

In the markets and main streets of Swahili towns and villages, textiles in bright and brilliant colours hang on display under the tropical sun. Cloth of all kind is on sale, from sets of printed kangas, and heavy bolts of kitenges to softly woven kikois fluttering gently in the breeze. Although most women’s tailored clothes are made from kitenges, a thick cloth printed with traditional patterns and sold by the metre, pairs of kanga cloth remain women’s fabric of choice throughout East Africa.

Kangas are the most probably the most popular, versatile and easily recognisable fabric worn along the Swahili Coast. Worn only by women.

The men of the Swahili Coast traditionally wear kikois under their white kanzu robes. Originally hand-woven in the coastal villages of Somalia, kikois are made of soft cotton.

 

Bibliography

Africa Africa
Michael Martin, Katja Kreder, Daniela Schetar
Vilo Publishing, Paris 2000

Swahili Style
Javed Jafferji and Elie Losleben
Gallery Publications, 2005