Kangas

The typical woman here in Tanzania dresses daily in a wrap skirt called a kanga.  These kangas are colorful, inexpensive, and have 101 uses.  Or maybe more, but there's a book called 101 Uses of Kangas, so that's why I give that number.  Kangas are bought as one long piece of fabric that is then cut into two pieces and hemmed.  The first piece is used for the skirt and the second can be used as a matching baby sling, a head scarf, a table cloth, or any number of other things.  Or, if two women are good friends, they buy one together and each has a matching skirt.

One of my favorite things we did with our families while they were here was picking out, buying, and having sewn kangas.  After searching in nearly every shop that sells kangas, we took our fabric to my sewing girls, and they cut and hemmed them for us.  Our families bought A LOT of kangas to take home as souvenirs and gifts for friends.  So not only does everyone get a very authentic souvenir, but we were also able to boost the economy and give my friends jobs.  We got to sit with my friends and one of them, Johanna, just loved my sister, Amy, and now they are officially friends.  Perhaps one day they'll share a matching kanga.