Monday, June 15, 2009

"Patience and time run through the longest day" . How would you put this proverb on a Khanga?

It's been two years since we are here in Mombasa, and we always say that since we're in Africa we have learned patience...You see, in Western countries everything is so fast (we used to live in Paris, so you can imagine how fast and hectic it can be). But here people take their time to live. Which we do appreciate a lot.
But sometimes, it's just hard to see nothing happening. Things NEVER get on the time you wanted them to happen. Just like the next items made out of Khanga on Kezania.com, that we hope you will love just like we do...In the meantime, for you to bear with us until the best; we would like to introduce you to the Khanga..its history, some pictures, its different uses.


Here we go!


Origins of the Khanga:
Khanga, Kanga or Leso came from handkerchiefs during the last half of the 19th century! Can you belive it? At last, they were joined together, in Zanzibar, to make one and only piece: the Khanga. It is said that the Khanga has been important to slaves' integration and emancipation.

Anatomy of the Khanga:
Kanga is a piece of printed cotton fabric, measuring 1,5m long and 1,10m wide. It has a border along sides called Pindo, a central part called Mji, and most of the time a Swahili proverb called Jina around its end.


The Swahili saying on the Khanga:
The proverbs are deliberately very ambiguous; no one is held responsible for the message being relayed. The used tense in put in a way not to address any one in particular.

Women buy them especially for these proverbs to relay a personal message of their own lives. But this way of communicating is not well concidered in the Society, women who use this mean of communication can end up with a bad reputation.

But they can also send congratulations-greeting messages, mobilize people in politics events, health campaigns...even messages that are hard to say by word of mouth like sexuality, conflicts, jealousy, etc....

The Khanga is a wonderful mean of communication!

Here are some examples of sayings (source Wikipedia.org):

*Wema hauozi — Kindness is never wasted
*Kawia ufike — Better late than never

* Riziki Ya Mtu Hupangwa Na Mungu — One's fortunes are planned by God

* Mimi Na Wangu Wewe Na Wako Chuki Ya Nini — I have mine and you have yours -- why the fuss?
* Sisi Sote Abiria Dereva Ni Mungu — In this world we are all passengers, God is the driver

* Fimbo La Mnyonge Halina Nguvu — Might is right

* Liya Na Tabia Yako Usilaumu Wenzako — Do not blame others for problems you have created yourself
* Naogopa Simba Na Meno Yake, Siogopi Mtu Kwa Maneno Yake — I fear the lion for its jaws, I do not fear man for his word


Uses of Khanga:
Women use them to dress up with; around their waist to work with in the fields or at home, as a turban too. They use it to carry their baby on their backs:

The Khanga can also be used as a seat cover, table clothes, pillow covers at home.



So? Aren't the many stories of Khanga very much interesting? We see them every single day here in Mombasa. But to be honnest, at first, we did not know that they were so meanful to people of Kenya and Tanzania. So we pay more attention to them until our Swahili becomes fluent to understand what is said on them.

As we told you, we really cannot tell you in advance when all these items will be available on Kezania.com. So let us warn you as soon as they get to the site, just subscribe to our newsletter, it's easy. Right here: http://www.kezania.com/index.php?main_page=login

P.S: Couldn't resist from adding a picture of an Obama khanga! Mwananchi (child of the nation in Kiswahili) after all.
It is said: "Hongera Barack Obama" = Congratulations Barack Obama;
"Upendo na amani ametujalia mungu" = God has blessed us with love and peace.

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