Saturday, September 29, 2012

The Panya

The panya is simply a piece of about 2 – 3 feet of material.  They are sold in the market according to their quality and so the ones on the lowers shelves are cheapers, and ones on the higher shelves are more expensive.  The most expensive one I’ve come across was a fun colorful piece made in Ghana that was 3 panyas for 20,000 cfa, or $40.  The cheapest one I bought was for my curtains, and that was 2 panyas for 1,500 cfa, or $3.   It is very overwhelming when looking for panyas, although lots of fun!  You never know what colors and patters you’ll find that day =)

Panyas come in all color combinations, all styles, even faces of people like the president of Togo or the United States end up on panyas. 
 
                                                 

Many times panyas are bought and then taken to the seamstress to have something made out of it.  It takes 3 panyas to have a shirt, skirt, and headdress made.  Other times, panyas are bought just to have a panya.  Why?  So that you can carry many panyas around with you, just in case you need it for:
 
 
                                                                     
 
       Carrying a baby (or stuffed animal)      
Skirt
Shirt
Dress
                                                  Blanket                                                  
Robe
Kleenex
Diaper
Rags
Restraints in the hospital
Money pouch
Carrying things on top of the head
Hat
Umbrella
Shawl/Coat
Colostomy bag
Towel
Burb cloth
Dressing/gauze
Catching throw up or other bodily fluids
Fan
Curtains
Chair cover
Pillow
Seat cushion
Wall decorations
Hot pad
 
These seem to be just a few of the uses that I've actually seen, I feel like there are hundres more uses for a panya.
But my favorite use of all so far???  Taking a panya to The Cuisine with me and putting it on the ground and then having it full of children listening to stories from the Bible!!!!