Wax Print and Batik: An Introduction to Ghana's Fabric Rainbow

As soon as you step off a plane in Ghana or anywhere in West Africa, you immediately notice just how colorful people’s clothing is. In fact, this bright-colored fabric is a big part of the culture of this part of Africa. Just walk into any market and you are surrounded by stalls selling dozens of fabric designs in flaming orange, bold turquoise, deep purple, and neon yellow. Buyers purchase 2-3 yards (depending on the clothing item they want) and take it to a seamstress/tailor to have a piece fitted to them. While one would be hard-pressed to find a community where no one wears the fabric, the influx of used clothing from China into Ghana has made Western clothing more common for everyday use. Instead, the bold fabric swatches are saved for jobs considered “white collar” (i.e.,working in an office of some sort) and special occasions, like weddings, funerals, and religious ceremonies.

A typical fabric shop in West Africa. Image credit

These wax prints are part of a long history of nonverbal communication among community members. Every print has a name, often named after proverbs, historical events, famous people, and personalities. The producer and registration number are always printed somewhere on the fabric, allowing buyers to see the quality of the product. For instance, a yard of fabric from China is cheaper and of lesser quality than a yard from a Ghanaian company. These Ghanaian companies, like GTP and Woodin, are the equivalents of Gucci and Prada in the wax print world. Sporting a dress made of GTP fabric, for example, means you are of high status, as the cloth is much more expensive than foreign-made versions and is printed with designs exclusive to that company.

The process of making wax print fabric originates from Indonesia, where they used a process called batik to imprint designs into fabric. The batik process involves melting wax and using it to print patterns onto fabric before dying it. The wax is then melted off, leaving designs of one color the color on the otherwise dyed fabric. During the Dutch colonization of Indonesia, Dutch merchants brought this fabric back to the Netherlands. This inspired the development of machine printing processes with the aim of imitating the look of batik without requiring the labor-intensive work used in the Indonesian process. Starting in the 1880s, Dutch merchants introduced these machine-made wax-printed fabrics to West Africa, where the reception was positive. Soon, the fabrics integrated themselves into West African apparel, with certain patterns gaining widely understood meanings. Over time, the prints began using more African-inspired designs and, by the mid-twentieth century, became more African-owned.

Some lovely Ghana ladies showing off a few examples of tailored clothing made from wax print fabric. Image credit

Most fabric designs seen in a Ghanaian village market have special meanings, so before you buy a yard or two, it is important to ask what it means. To help you figure out what you want your shirt or dress to say to the world, here are some examples of common fabrics and their meanings:

Darling, Don’t Turn Your Back on Me”

Despite the crazy shapes and bright 80s colors, the message behind this print is a little darker. If a woman thinks her man is not looking at her anymore, but at another woman, she may wear this pattern. It is said the message is really directed at the other woman, as fabric patterns hold more meaning with women than they do with men.

"Sugar Cane"

This pattern looks like a stick of sugar cane, signifying that the wearer is just as sweet as the snack.

"You Fly, I Fly!"

This print is usually worn by newly married couples to symbolize their escape from their parents' homes into a new future.

"Electric Fans"

In the 1980s, electric fans were a sign of modernity, as they had just appeared in West African markets. Soon, they appeared on wax print to symbolize a move into modernity. However, now that air conditioning has made its way to West Africa, the meaning has changed.

"The Well"
The tiny dots in the center of these spirals resemble the ripples made in water after water when a stone is dropped into its depths.

"Happy Family"
The hen, rooster, chicks and eggs represent a traditional family with a mother, father, children, and babies on the way. The placement of the female figure (the hen) in the center also indicates that the woman is the head of the family.

"Small Change"
Named as such in Togo because it resembles the shells that were once used as currency.

"Rich Today, Poor Tomorrow"
While many patterns are sold widely in Africa, different countries adopt different meanings for those patterns. This print is a perfect example. In Togo, the fabric was used for airline uniforms, so there the pattern is commonly referred to as "Air Afrique." In Ghana, however, the swallow refers to the transience of wealth, hence the title boldfaced above." In Benin, it has a similar connotation, where it's referred to as "Money Flies" or "Stealing Money."

"Tortoise Shell"
This print resembles the back of a tortoise’s shell, as it has a rough and oval shape much like its reptilian namesake.

"Lustful Eye"
I am so glad I came across the meaning of this fabric, as I have been seeing it a lot recently and could not begin to guess the meaning. In Ivory Coast, the pattern means that a woman is wearing the fabric to show a man she desires him.

Image result for angelina fabric different colors

"Angelina"
This design is perhaps the most popular in West Africa, worn for any occasion and coming in dozens of colors-- from neon green to white to deep maroon. Angelina is thought to be the name of the first person who wore the cloth.

"Obama, the Key of Success"

Launched as part of the United States' 2008 presidential election, the pattern became a hit when it was given a name associated with Obama.

Although machine-made wax-printed fabrics are easy to find throughout Ghana, one can still find patterned fabrics using the traditional Indonesian batik process in some places. Tamale and Accra, in particular, have blossoming batik industries. One can even purchase personalized stamps to signify an occasion or company. Peace Corps Ghana, for example, purchases special stamps for each new group of PCVs for use in developing their own cohort-specific fabric.

To show you the beauty of fabric dyed using the traditional batik process, here are some examples: