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: 30 December 2021.

What is your name?

Gifty Adzi.

How old are you?

37 years.

Where do you live?

Sonuto.

What is your major occupation?

Trading is my major occupation, but I do weave kete to supplement it.

How long have you been weaving?

I started weaving for the past 2 to 3 years.

Why did you choose kete weaving as an occupation?

I chose kete weaving because it is lucrative. Then also if you look around Agbozume and its surroundings, hardly would you find any serious and sustaining work, apart from the public sector.

How did you learn the craft?

Before I got married to my husband, I was engaged in trading, but the business was unstable. Then, my husband suggested that I should learn kete weaving to assist him in case there is high demand from his customers, since he was working alone. That was why I learnt kete weaving.

What type(s) of kete do you weave?

Novi, and there are some called Kumasivⴢ which include nyamiakwea.

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

I weave on order, because of the unstable nature of Agbozume market.

If you weave on order, describe the process.

Usually, customers send me the design via WhatsApp. When we agree on the type of cloth and the design and the price, I always receive at least 50 per cent of the amount before the work begins. The rest is then paid at the end of the job. In some cases, some customers make full payment before the work begins, most especially when it is an urgent work.

What raw materials do you use in weaving?

Cotton, miran and sometimes silk and shine.

How do you acquire the yarn for kete weaving?

I buy them at Agbozume market.

Do you use the yarn kadada in weaving?

Yes.

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

Damax, 88 and ekpe.

Why do you adopt those designs?

They are the trending ones in the market.

How did you get to know the designs and patterns?

I was taught by my husband.

How old are those designs and patterns that you weave in kete?

They are not old; just about 6 months to a year.

How popular are they? Do people of Agbozume and neighbouring areas wear kete with those designs and patterns?

They are popular and a few people around my area here wear them.

Have you invented any design or pattern in kete?

No.

Do you know the person who invented any of the designs that you weave?

Yes, one Setsorfia Noah from Sonuto is the person who first wove a design I have adopted.

According to Setsorfia, he invented this design in the year 2015. The name of this design is bullet. He told me he saw a drawing in a scarf. So, he based this design on that particular pattern in the scarf. He again opined that the first time he took that design to the market customers loved it and demanded more of it. Other weavers also adopted that same bullet and up to date, it is trending in the market.

Noah Setsorfia’s invention: bullet

Do you know any other women weaver apart from yourself? 

Yes, Juliana Sosu; she has been in the business for the past three years.

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

Yes, at Sonuto.

What challenges do you face in practicing your craft?

My main difficulty is lack of fund to invest into the business. I am struggling to finance the business.

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

Our main problem is the frequent increase in prices of materials such as the yarn.

In your opinion, how should those problems be resolved?

We are appealing to those concerned be it government or cooperate bodies to come to our aid and do all they can to make sure prices of yarn are affordable to enable us stay in business.

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

It is more or less part of our culture. Also, it was left behind by our forebears.