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?

Raymond Katsekpor.

How old are you?

30 years.

Where do you live?

Bayikor.

What is your major occupation?

I am a student.

Are you a kete weaver?

Yes.

How long have you been weaving?

About 20 years.

Why did you choose kete weaving as your major occupation?

It is a major occupation and a source of employment among the people in my locality.

How did you learn the craft?

I was taught by my friends.

What type(s) of kete do you weave?

Tekpakpԑ, half-check, and silk design kete

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

I sell my product at Agbozume marketplace.

What raw materials do you use in weaving?

Yarn: cotton, silk, and miran.

How do you acquire the yarn for kete weaving?

I buy it at Agbozume market.

Do you use the yarn kadada in weaving?

No, because I do not know much about it.

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

Fiazikpui, Ataŋkaɣi, Loƒodo and ʋⴢgbaze.

Why do you adopt those designs?

They are beautiful and customers like them.

How did you get to know the designs and patterns?

I learnt them from friends.

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

At least about 10 years.

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

Very popular, but only a few people around Agbozume wear them.

Have you invented any design or pattern in kete?

Yes. I invented the new design in the year 2018. The design has no name. I made it based on an old one. The new design is very beautiful because the first day I sent it to the market, there was a positive response from the customers. Initially there was a lot of demand for it but as time went on most weavers adopted it and it became very popular in the market. As I speak, we still weave it. It implies that there was a positive reaction in the market for my innovation.

Katsekpor’s invention: no name?

Do you know any women weavers?

Yes, Tevi Katsekpor; she has been weaving for about 10 years.

24. What should we know about kete designs and patterns and their development over the years in Agbozume?

Designs such as Obama, “fellow Ghanaians,” and “free education” are the latest designs developed some years now. Mostly when new designs are out, customers rush on them and demand for more but when fellow weavers realized that they are doing well in the market, they also adopt them making them very popular and then the demand for them go down. This is why once in a while I do invent new designs.

In your opinion, what is the difference between kete woven today in Agbozume and Asante kente?

They are almost the same in terms of designs. The only difference is in the yarn used.

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

Unlike farming which is seasonal, kete business is all year-round, and it is a major source of livelihood for many people.