Habari

Culture, wisdom and creative journeys in kanga
Remembering Baba: The People’s President
Few figures have shaped Kenya’s conscience or carried its unyielding hope as profoundly as Raila Amolo Odinga. Through imprisonment, torture, and exile, he became not only an opposition leader, but the very embodiment of defiance during the oppressive years of one-party rule. For this, he paid a heavy personal price in the struggle for multi-party democracy, steadfastly advocating for our collective freedoms. Read more...
Threads of Connection: Kanga Collection
Some books don’t just tell a story — they hold a world within their pages. Kanga Collection is one of those rare treasures, tracing the journey of the kanga across time, culture and meaning through the lens of Chieko Orimoto’s extraordinary collection. Read more...
Kanga 101: The Pair — Doti
Every kanga begins its journey as part of a doti — a pair. Printed side by side as one continuous length of cloth, the two are only separated when cut and hemmed, ready to be worn in harmony or shared. Read more...
The DUKA Kanga Archive: Threads of Community
Over more than three years, the Kilifi-based brand DUKA gathered an extraordinary archive of over 3,000 unique vintage and contemporary kangas. Working with a network of women who reached deep into village communities, they sought out and purchased kangas — creating not just an archive, but a livelihood. Both buyers and sellers earned from every piece collected, ensuring that the project remained rooted in reciprocity. Read more...
Pwani Postcards: Sharing Swahililand Soundtracks
From the heart of Swahililand comes a trio of postcards—each one weaving art and music to echo the rhythm and poetry of the Swahili coast. Created by The Pwani Club, these postcards are tangible keepsakes where story meets sound: maneno na mdundo. Each card comes alive through a curated playlist, its scannable QR code linking directly to Spotify and turning every postcard into an invitation to listen and feel. Read more...
Nyerere Memorialised in Kanga
Today, 14 October, marks 26 years since the passing of Tanzania’s founding president, Julius Kambarage Nyerere (1922–1999), fondly known as Mwalimu. A teacher, African nationalist and socialist — a proponent of ujamaa (unity, dignity, and self-reliance) — and champion of the arts through Nyumba ya Sanaa, he is remembered as a deeply respected African statesman. Read more...
Khanga by Safara: The ‘Season by Season’ 2026 Planner
A few weeks ago, we featured Khanga by Safara: A Digital Art Series, where digital collage artist and graphic designer Safara Wanjagi explored khanga/kanga through the lens of her distinctive collage style. At the time, she hinted at a special project that would build on the series — and we’re so excited that it’s here: the Season by Season 2026 planner. Read more...
Misemo We Love: Recent Sayings from Mali Ya Abdulla
For over a century, Mali Ya Abdulla has given the kanga its voice through misemo that resonate deeply. That tradition continues today, with new kangas released each week. Here are some of our recent faves. Read more...
Did You Know? Mali Ya Abdulla Gave the Kanga Its Voice with Misemo
The tradition of including proverbs on kangas — the misemo that give the cloth its voice — was introduced in the 1920s by Mali Ya Abdulla in Mombasa. The earliest sayings appeared in Arabic script, reflecting the Swahili coast’s rich cultural and linguistic heritage, before later shifting into Kiswahili in Roman letters in the mid-20th century. Read more...
From Africa to the World: Mali Ya Abdulla at the British Museum
Did you know that Mali Ya Abdulla kangas aren’t only cherished in homes across East Africa — they’re also part of the world’s great collections? Read more...
Mali Ya Abdulla: A Legacy in Kangas
The story of the modern kanga cannot be told without the Kaderdina family of Mombasa, whose introduction of sayings in the 1920s gave the cloth its voice — a tradition they carry forward today with fresh designs and misemo that inspire and provoke reflection each week. Read more...
Kanga 101: Pindo, Mji and Jina
Today, East African kangas come in endless colours, patterns and design styles. Yet three elements always define them: the pindo (border), the mji (central motif) and the jina (the Swahili saying or proverb). Together, they make a kanga instantly recognisable. Read more...