5 crafts keeping Ghana's past alive
Wanderlust Travel Magazine|August September 2022 - Issue 222
Explore beyond Ghana's capital to meet artisans crafting keepsakes that reveal their rich culture
5 crafts keeping Ghana's past alive

1 KENTE CLOTH

The Akan people of the Ashanti Region have been dying silk using ground bark or leaves since the 1600s. They weave the thread on looms into geometric designs to create kente cloth, the colours of which symbolise different things (blue, for example, means harmony). Once reserved for royalty - who wore it as a shawl draped over their left shoulder-Ghanaians typically now wear strips around their necks on special occasions.

2 BEADS 

Krobo mothers in the Southern Region give their daughters beads for their dipo, a coming-of-age ceremony. These are often worn around the waist and made from shell, bone or glass, which is fired in a kiln, then painted. Golden beads signify wealth, while some feature the 'evil eye' to protect the wearer from spirits.

3 BATIK 

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