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!!!!