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What are the ethnic foods that you eat on a normal basis?

Vietnamese and Mexican!

  • 31 years old
  • From Denver, United States
  • Currently in Denver, United States

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August 27, 2009

Ghana Ghana  |  Aug 27, 2009
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Communication forms have evolved drastically over the centuries.  In our modern world, communication has taken on such a transitory, instantaneous form, that we forget that pre-internet, pre-cell phone, pre-television, the transmission of important information had to occur very differently.  Prior to the printing press, and prior to mass literacy, transmitting information via written form was rarely an option.  Many societies developed rich oral traditions.  An emphasis on memorization became the basis of history and religion.  In Muslim tradition, in fact, the Qur'an is meant primarily to be recited from memory.  Fortunately, despite the imposing modernity of high speed technology, many developing countries have held on to these traditions of communication through none-written means.

In Ghana, these traditional means come through the kente cloth.  Textiles are very important in Ghanaian culture and are often used as visual representations of historical accounts.  Kente cloth is an Ashanti tradition dating back centuries, hand-woven on a treadle loom.  It is composed of 4-inch wide strips that can form pictures or even a form of written language imbedded in the design.  The word kente is derived from the word kenten which means basket in the Twi language.  The cloths tend to resemble the form and design of the traditional Ghanaian baskets.  Many variations of this form of weaving are seen throughout Africa and are also extremely popular and vital to the survival of pieces of culture throughout the African diaspora.

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