CraftCentre and west

Hand-woven Kita cloth

Pagne tissé · Kita

✓ Verified · 2 sources

Côte d'Ivoire's traditional hand-woven cloth, for which the Baoulé of the centre and the Yacouba around Man in the west are both known. In 2023 Ivorian traditional weaving was inscribed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

A narrow loom can only weave narrow strips, so the cloth is 'pieced' together. A good cloth takes a long time to weave, so it became a symbol of wealth and family status.

CE QUE VOUS VERREZ · What you will see

A thick cloth pieced together from strips a dozen or so centimetres wide, geometric patterns alternating square by square, worn over the shoulders of elders at weddings.

POURQUOI · So what

Worn on important occasions such as weddings and the Dot (bride-price ceremony), it is a language of status, family and respect, far above printed cloth in price and standing.

SAVOIR-FAIRE · How to use it

Telling printed wax from hand-woven Kita separates the outsider from the insider: on hand-woven cloth, look for the seams between strips.

Asian and European parallelsCompare Ghana's Kente (from the same Akan world) and Japan's Nishijin weaving: ceremonial high-end textiles.

Where to experience itWeaving villages around Tiébissou; craftspeople in the Man region.

On these routes

Two Days on the Coast: Grand-Bassam and Assinie Three Days in the Heart of the Country: Yamoussoukro and Baoulé Land Three Days of Northern Craft: Korhogo and Senufo Land