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African Wax Prints
African wax prints, Dutch wax prints or Ankara, are a type of common material for clothing in West Africa. They were introduced to West Africans by Dutch merchants during the 19th century, who took inspiration from native Indonesian batik designs. They began to adapt their designs and colours to suit the tastes of the African market. They are industrially produced colourful cotton cloths with batik-inspired printing. One feature of these materials is the lack of difference in the colour intensity of the front and back sides. The wax fabric can be sorted into categories of quality due to the processes of manufacturing. The term "Ankara" originates from the Hausa name for Accra, the capital of what is now Ghana. Initially used by Nigerian Hausa tradesmen, it was meant to refer to "Accra," which served as a hub for African prints in the 19th century. Normally, the fabrics are sold in lengths of as "full piece" or as "half piece". The colours comply with local preferences of th ...
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African Waxprints, West Africa
African or Africans may refer to: * Anything from or pertaining to the continent of Africa: ** People who are native to Africa, descendants of natives of Africa, or individuals who trace their ancestry to indigenous inhabitants of Africa *** List of ethnic groups of Africa *** Demographics of Africa *** African diaspora ** African, an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to the African Union ** Citizenship of the African Union ** Demographics of Africa, Demographics of the African Union **Africanfuturism ** African art ** *** African jazz (other) ** African cuisine ** African culture ** African languages ** African music ** African Union ** African lion, a lion population in Africa Books and radio * The African (essay), ''The African'' (essay), a story by French author J. M. G. Le Clézio * The African (Conton novel), ''The African'' (Conton novel), a novel by William Farquhar Conton * The African (Courlander novel), ''The African'' (Courlander novel), ...
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Fentener Van Vlissingen
Fentener van Vlissingen is a Dutch patrician dynasty of entrepreneurs. History Gerrit Oloffsz. van Vlissingen, a blacksmith living in Utrecht in the early 17th century, is the oldest known ancestor. Originating from Utrecht, the family of Lutheran descent became known for being merchants of wine, wool and honey. The family was also known for its involvement in the brick-making and brewing industries. The family soon built interests in factories and began trading. In 1896, the family founded the SHV, which dealt in coal, oil, gas, and scrap metal. It has since diversified its interests into shipping and retail. In 1968 the seventh generation of the family founded wholesale self-service store chain Makro. The Fentener van Vlissingen family is one of the richest families in the Netherlands. Dutch magazine ''Quote'' has estimated the family's total wealth to be about €11.2 billion. Notable members * Frits Fentener van Vlissingen (1882–1962) * Jan Fentener van Vlissingen ( ...
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Batik
Batik is a dyeing technique using wax Resist dyeing, resist. The term is also used to describe patterned textiles created with that technique. Batik is made by drawing or stamping wax on a cloth to prevent colour absorption during the dyeing process. This creates a patterned negative when the wax is removed from the dyed cloth. Artisans may create intricate coloured patterns with multiple cycles of wax application and dyeing. Patterns and motifs vary widely even within countries. Some patterns hold symbolic significance and are used only in certain occasions, while others were created to satisfy market demand and fashion trends. Resist dyeing using wax has been practised since ancient times, and it is attested in several world cultures, such as Egypt, southern China (especially among hilltribes like the Miao people, Miao, Bouyei people, Bouyei, and Gejia peoples), India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka. The technique developed Batik in Indonesia, in Indonesia (es ...
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African Clothing
African clothing is the traditional clothing worn by the people of Africa. African clothing and fashion is a diverse topic that provides a look into different African cultures. Clothing varies from brightly colored textiles, to abstractly embroidered robes, to colorful beaded bracelets and necklaces. Since Africa is such a large and diverse continent, Folk costume, traditional clothing differs throughout each country. For example, many countries in West Africa have a "distinct regional dress styles that are the products of long-standing textile crafts in weaving, dyeing, and printing", but these traditions are still able to coexist with western styles. A large contrast in African fashion is between rural and urban societies. Urban societies typically are exposed more to trade and the changing world, while it takes more time for new western trends to get to rural areas. By region In Northeastern Africa, particularly in Egypt, styles of traditional women's clothing have been inf ...
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African Art
African art encompasses modern and historical paintings, sculptures, installations, and other visual cultures originating from indigenous African diaspora, African communities across the African continent. The definition may also include the art of the African diasporas, such as art in African-American, Caribbean, and South American societies inspired by African traditions. Although diverse there are unifying artistic themes across the visual cultures from the continent of Africa. Often, art was not created for its own sake, but for social, political, or religious purposes. African art is characterized by an emphasis on conceptual or symbolic representations, rather than imitating nature, aiming to capture the subject's spiritual essence. Pottery#Africa, Pottery, Metalworking, metalwork, sculpture, Architecture of Africa, architecture, textile art, and fiber art are important Visual arts, visual art forms across Africa and may be included in the study of African Art. The term � ...
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Kitenge
A kitenge or chitenge (pl. vitenge Swahili language, Swahili; zitenge in Tonga people of Zambia and Zimbabwe, Tonga) is an East African, West Africa, West African and Central Africa, Central African piece of fabric similar to a sarong, often worn by women and wrapped around the chest or waist, over the head as a headscarf, or as a baby sling. Kitenges are made of colorful fabric that contains a variety of patterns and designs. In coastal areas of Kenya and in Tanzania, kitenges often have Swahili language, Swahili sayings written on them. There seems to be confusion with the Kangas, which carry text, unlike kitenges, which typically do not carry text. Kitenges are similar to Kanga (African garment), kangas and kikoi, but are of a thicker cloth and have an edging on only a long side. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, Liberia, Rwanda, Burundi, and Democratic Republic of the Congo are some of the African countries where the kitenge is worn. In Mala ...
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Shweshwe
Shweshwe () is a printed dyed cotton fabric widely used for traditional Southern African clothing. Originally dyed indigo, the fabric is manufactured in a variety of colours and printing designs characterised by intricate geometric patterns. Due to its popularity, shweshwe has been described as the denim, or tartan, of South Africa. Name The local name ''shweshwe'' is derived from the fabric's association with Lesotho's King Moshoeshoe I, also spelled "Moshweshwe". Moshoeshoe I was gifted with the fabric by French missionaries in the 1840s and subsequently popularised it. It is also known as ''sejeremane'' or ''seshoeshoe'' in Sotho as well as ''terantala'' (derived from Afrikaans tarentaal), and ''ujamani'' in Xhosa, after 19th century German and Swiss settlers who imported the ''blaudruck'' ("blue print") fabric for their clothing and helped entrench it in South African and Basotho culture. In Botswana, this traditional fabric is known as "leteisi," 'jeremani," or "German ...
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Wrapper (clothing)
The wrapper, lappa, or pagne is a colorful garment widely worn in West Africa by both men and women. It has formal and informal versions and varies from simple draped clothing to fully tailored ensembles. The formality of the wrapper depends on the fabric used to create or design it. West African kaftan/boubou In West Africa, a kaftan or ''caftan'' is a pull-over woman's robe. In French, this robe is called a Boubou (clothing), boubou , pronounced ''boo-boo''. The boubou is the traditional female attire in many West African countries including Senegal, Mali and other African countries. The boubou can be formal or informal attire. The formality of the kaftan depends upon the fabric used to create or design it. In Yorubaland, Nigeria, the wrapper is commonly, called an ''iro'' in yoruba language, Yoruba, pronounced ''i-roh''. The literal translation is "the act of wrapping." The wrapper is usually worn with a matching headscarf or head tie that is called a ''Gele (head tie), gele' ...
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Elmina
Elmina ( Fante: ''Edina'') is a town and the capital of the Komenda/Edina/Eguafo/Abirem District on the south coast of Ghana in the Central Region. It is situated on a bay on the Atlantic Ocean, west of Cape Coast.Straight line distances from: Daft Logic; Elmina was the first European settlement in West Africa and it has a population of 33,576 people, as of 2013. The current Municipality chief of Elmina is Solomon Ebo Appiah. When the Portuguese, after first coming in contact with the Gold Coast, struck an agreement with the King of Elmina to build the São Jorge da Mina Castle in the 1470s, the settlement grew to become an important centre of commerce and trade in the region. Nowadays, Elmina shows strong influences from Europe in its culture and people. Etymology Prior to the arrival of the Portuguese, the town was originally called Anomansah ("perpetual" or "inexhaustible drink") from its position on the peninsula between the Benya lagoon and the sea. It eventual ...
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Royal Netherlands East Indies Army
The Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (; KNIL, ; ) was the military force maintained by the Kingdom of the Netherlands in its colony of the Dutch East Indies, in areas that are now part of Indonesia. The KNIL's air arm was the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Air Force. Elements of the Royal Netherlands Navy and Government Navy were also stationed in the Netherlands East Indies. History 1814–1942 The KNIL was formed by royal decree on 14 September 1814. It was not part of the Royal Netherlands Army, but a separate military arm specifically formed for service in the Netherlands East Indies. Its establishment coincided with the Dutch drive to expand colonial rule from the 17th century area of control to the far larger territories constituting the Dutch East Indies seventy years later. The KNIL was involved in many campaigns against indigenous groups in the area including the Padri War (1821–1845), the Java War (1825–1830), crushing the final resistance of Bali inh ...
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Dutch Gold Coast
The Dutch Gold Coast or Dutch Guinea, officially Dutch possessions on the Coast of Guinea (Dutch language, Dutch: ''Nederlandse Bezittingen ter Kuste van Guinea'') was a portion of contemporary Ghana that was gradually colonized by the Dutch (ethnic group), Dutch, beginning in 1612. The Dutch began trading in the area around 1598, joining the Portuguese which had a trading post there since the late 1400s. Eventually, the Dutch Gold Coast became the most important Dutch colony in West Africa after Battle of Elmina (1637), Fort Elmina was captured from the Portugal, Portuguese in 1637, but fell into disarray after the abolition of slavery timeline, abolition of the slave trade in the early 19th century. On 6 April 1872, the Dutch Gold Coast was, in accordance with the Anglo-Dutch Treaties of 1870–71, ceded to the United Kingdom. History The Dutch settle on the Gold Coast The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in contemporary Ghana. By 1471, they had reached the area ...
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Belanda Hitam
Belanda Hitam ( Indonesian; "Black Dutchmen") was an Indonesian language term used to refer to Black soldiers recruited by the Dutch colonial empire for service in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL), the colonial army of the Dutch East Indies. The recruitment of Black soldiers into the KNIL resulted from a combination of factors, including the heavy losses suffered by Dutch forces in the Java War and concerns over the reliability of indigenous KNIL troops. Between 1831 and 1872, over 3,000 West Africans, mostly Akan people, were recruited from the Dutch Gold Coast for KNIL service in the East Indies. History Following the independence of Belgium in 1830, the Netherlands' population was considerably diminished, making colonial combat losses more difficult to replace. Furthermore, the Dutch wanted the number of locally recruited soldiers in the East Indies Army to be limited to roughly half the total strength, to ensure the loyalty of native forces. It was also hoped ...
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