Forever in Kente: Ghanian Barbie and the Fashioning of Identity

 

Carol Magee specializes in African contemporary art with a strange on photography. She is an assistant professor of art history at the University of North Carolina. In her research she focuses on the African urban photography and sound art that investigates in a emotional, physical, psychological, or philosophical aspect.  

Carol Magee in Forever in Kente: Ghanaian Barbie and the fashioning of Identity published in 2005 writes in her postscript acknowledgements, an attempt to examine the costuming of Mattel‘s Ghanaian Barbie and tell about issues in terms of nostalgia, imperialism and identity and this in post Cold War American WorldMagee.  center of interest focus on Mattel's Ghanaian Barbie, how is dress in a traditional costume from the West African country of Ghana. The doll is part of the 'Dolls of the world' series that begun in 1980 how as later be changed to 'Princess Collection' in 2011, representing fifty countries in which North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Europe. I didn't find any data showing how much this Collection was sold but I found out that only 20 % Percent of Barbie Dolls sold that are brunette. (When the actual numbers of brunette worldwide is about 95 %) But what I found out is that the sale of Mattel's Ghanaian Barbie was mostly in the USA, the reasons to this could be multiple, maybe it's because this Barbie is more of a Collector that a toy are not designed to play or maybe the Kente that she wears.

Barbie’s evolution has been controversial at times, but the collection “Dolls of the world” is a different refreshing Barbie’s image how is not an unrealistic blond portrayal female form but is unique she wears an authentically styled Kente cloth tunic dress that ties into a bow below her knees. A brightly colored turban ties around her head and she wears flat golden sandals for walking through the lush forests. Her beautiful jewelry, including golden hoop earrings, a bangle bracelet and a seashell necklace, all add to the captivating charm of this African beauty. Mattel with it endorse an African-American heritage he made it possible that barbies dolls can actually cultivate they owners about the difference of cultures clothing and beauty around the World. But Magee also wirte about the worries over how the picture of the this American mass product is impacting the american culture and others around the globe, giving a wrong comprehension about the way of life, ethnicity and general the personality of the Ghanian Society.

Magee explain how the Barbie comunicate a message above the voluntary original meaning of it. She concentrate on psychologicla viewpoints behind the dolls and works with proficient phrasing and references to numerous assets. Which make the reading is an excellent source of information for those how are in the creative industry.