Kanga (garment)

This article is about the African garment. For other uses, see Kanga.
Not to be confused with the Kangha, a small comb used by Sikhs.
"Khanga" redirects here. For the Russian journalist, see Yelena Khanga.
Kanga (Tanzania, 2011) The jina of this kanga is Usijaze masusu kwa mambo yasokusuhu "Do not fill your mind with things that do not concern you" or "Do not get involved in matters that do not concern you"
A simplified illustration of kanga. (1) pindo; (2) mji; (3) jina. The jina of this kanga is Bahati ni upepo sasa upo kwangu, which can be translated as "Luck is like the (blowing of the) wind, now it is on my side"

The kanga (in some areas known as leso) is a colourful fabric similar to kitenge, but lighter, worn by women and occasionally by men throughout the African Great Lakes region. It is a piece of printed cotton fabric, about 1.5 m by 1 m, often with a border along all four sides (called pindo in Swahili), and a central part (mji) which differs in design from the borders. They are sold in pairs, which can then be cut and hemmed to be used as a set.