About Our Bolgatanga Market Baskets
Posted December 06, 2019
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Bolga baskets are exclusively hand woven by the people around the town of Bolgatanga in Northern Ghana. For many generations, weaving has been a skill of these people. Handicraft activities such as basket weaving, leather work, and pottery are undertaken mostly by women to supplement their incomes
Fair Trade Practices~
This weaving group has a mission: assisting the rural people of Northern Ghana to earn good incomes in order to care of their children. They believe when a woman can create an income, it puts food into the bowl of a child, and that it is also a means of promoting self-esteem for the women, children, and the entire village.
Creation Process
• Veta vera straw, known locally as kinkahe, is collected from the tops of the grass stalk, then each piece is split in half vertically.
• Each half of the split straw is then twisted tightly by rolling it back together to give it strength.
• There are a variety of different handles, but all are made with a sturdy wrapping technique around a grass core.
• The straw is put in bunches and dyed in boiling water. For bright colors the straw is dyed yellow first, then the color.
• The weaver carefully selects appropriate straw for the base, sides and handle. The selection of the proper grass for various parts of the basket is critical to good weaving.
• Weaving starts at the base and works up to the rim. The rims are generally finished flat, or wrapped with straw to form a tube like edge.
• Remaining bits of straw that are sticking out of the basket are carefully trimmed off.
• Leather handles are skillfully applied by local leather workers.
• A medium basket takes about 3 days. Some shapes and patterns are more difficult to weave and take longer.
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