Marina Christina Mascarenhas graduated from the University of Alberta's Faculty of Home Economics in 1992 with a Bachelor’s degree in Clothing and Textiles. In personal correspondence, Mascarenhas indicated that she is very proud of her multi-cultural heritage—East Indian and African (Kenyan)—adding that she is also “Ukrainian by marriage."

The kanga (1990.5.1) featured in this exhibition was donated by Mascarenhas to the Anne Lambert Clothing and Textiles Collection in 1990. She acquired it on one of her trips to Kenya, where some of her family still resides (1).

Mascarenhas stated that in the 1980s, a typical kanga was priced at 60 Kenyan shillings (approximately $11 to $16 Canadian dollars by 2021 inflation rates) and some women could own as many as 15 pieces of kanga. She described kanga as 'one-size-fits-all' garments worn in various ways as body and head wraps and skirts. Mascarenhas also mentioned that although these textiles were always popular with European and American tourists, they were definitely being designed mostly for the internal market. (3)

Marina Mascarenhas said that it was important for her to bring a textile “that represented her African roots” to Canada (1). She wore her kanga for several years before giving it to the museum. (2)