Adinkra Cloth Production in Retrospect

Abstract

Evolving and reconnoitering new ways for Adinkra cloth production is fast dominating the Ghanaian traditional textile landscape and catching the attention of prominent personalities in Asante kingdom. The growing disposition to this emerging trend of Adinkra production gives a new fashionable outlook to chieftaincy. The study discusses current drifts from calabash relief-stamped Adinkra prints to screen prints through to bold sketched machine design embroidered Adinkra cloth production. It employs a developmental study of descriptive research to consider the existing status of singularities to the new changes that has taken place since the introduction of the machined embroidered Adinkra cloth. The study establishes the contrast in technique between indigenous Adinkra print designs and the new design concept of Adinkra cloth production. It brings to the fore the new potentials of the Adinkra embroidered cloth production in some communities in the Ashanti region. The study offers the understanding of this current production of Adinkra cloth and recommends further research into the indigenous Adinkra ‘duro’ (dye) production for its sustenance. Furthermore, the traditional design concepts should be encouraged in vocational, colleges and tertiary institutions to advance and cradle this new development.