AGBOZUME KENTE WEAVERS ASSOCIATION

QUESTIONNAIRE

*For our purpose, Agbozume area comprises Sόme, Klikor and neighbouring Anlo communities.

*The questionnaire relates to former kete weavers and weavers currently practicing the craft.

* The questionnaire was adopted in individual interviews without the presence of other respondents.

* Date of interview: 28 December 2021.

What is your name?

Atsu Kugbagbo.

How old are you?

72 years.

Where do you live?

Nogokpo.

What is your major occupation?

Farming is my main occupation but I also weave kete in addition to the farming since my type of farming is seasonal.

How long have you been weaving?

About 60 years.

Why did you choose kete weaving as your major occupation?

It is lucrative at times.

How did you learn the craft?

Through observation of my father and practice under his supervision.

What type(s) of kete do you weave?

Noviga and agbomlↄnyi.

Do you weave on order, or you sell the product at Agbozume market?

I sell my products at Agbozume market.

What raw materials do you use in weaving?

Yarn: miran and cotton.

How do you acquire the yarn for kete weaving?

I get it from stores at Agbozume market.

Do you use the yarn kadada in weaving?  

No. I do not have any idea about it.

What types of designs and patterns do you weave in kete?

Loƒodo.

Why do you adopt that design?

This is what my customers preferred.

How did you get to know the design?

I learnt it from my father.

How old is the design that you weave in kete?

Very old; over 70 years.

How popular is it? Do people of Agbozume and neighbouring areas wear kete with that design?

Very popular but people around Agbozume do not wear them.

Do you know any women weavers? 

Yes, one of them is Mary Kumordzi.

Is kpe-evee vɔ woven today in Agbozume and neighbouring areas?

Yes, at places like Atiwuta and Nogokpo.

What challenges do you face in practicing your craft? How do you deal with them?

As an old man I feel tired very quickly especially at my waist but I usually use pain killers and take rests which enable me to continue the work.

Are there any obstacles discouraging the kete industry in Agbozume area?

The main obstacle is the low patronage which makes the prices of our products low.

Another problem is the consistent increase in the price of yarn.

In your opinion, how should those problems be resolved?

Government should step in and subsidize the price of yarn to enable us stay in business.

Also, we need more marketplaces. The only marketplace we have is in Agbozume and sometimes the market disappoints us.

Why do you think the kete industry in Agbozume and neighbouring areas has survived up till now?

It has been present from generation to generation; this is work that our parents did to look after us. We are also using it as a major source of livelihood.

What is the importance of Agbozume market in the kete industry of southern Volta Region of Ghana?

Its proximity to weavers is an advantage. Then also it is the only ready marketplace for kete weavers and without it most weavers will be out of business.