ngoma 

(n.) ancestral spirits, revered as intercessors, later vilified as "demonic" by colonizers

many of us grew up thinking "ngoma" meant devil. I was well into my adulthood when I learned that in gĩkũyũ, "ngoma" actually refers to ancestral spirits, derived from the verb gũ-koma (to sleep), signifying those who have "eternally slept" in the earth after death. It is a term for the departed spirits of ancestors who served as a vital spiritual link between the living and the divine, and was often misinterpreted or deliberately mischaracterized as "devil" by early missionaries. 

this product honors the legacy of ngomi (plural) as a living archive of memory, resistance, and healing. through it, we reconnect to the sacred, challenge colonial narratives, and celebrate the spiritual technologies of our ancestors.

• 100% cotton

• Sport Grey is 90% cotton, 10% polyester

• Ash Grey is 99% cotton, 1% polyester

• Heather colors are 50% cotton, 50% polyester

• Fabric weight: 5.0–5.3 oz/yd² (170-180 g/m²) 

• Open-end yarn

• Tubular fabric

• Taped neck and shoulders

• Double seam at sleeves and bottom hem

• Blank product sourced from Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Bangladesh, Mexico

Disclaimers: 

• Due to the fabric properties, the White color variant may appear off-white rather than bright white.

• Dark color speckles throughout the fabric are expected for the color Natural.