Am Hope Kofi Abotsi, 30 years old. I live at Dogbekope. Weaving is my main occupation even though I have plans to do other things. I have been weaving for the past 14 years. I chose Kete weaving because it is better than fishing and farming activities in the area.

When I was young, I used to enter into the looms of my elder brothers when they were out of the loom. Through that I developed interest in weaving. Later, I began learning the craft by spinning for them and other rudiments of weaving also followed. That is how I learnt the craft.

I weave design, kpe-evee, and silk. I also weave on order (Kumasi type) and also sell the cloth at the market, but now I only weave on order. When we bargain and agree on the price of cloth, the sample is given to me. Part of the money is also given to me to buy materials for the cloth. If I finish weaving the cloth and the buyer takes delivery of the cloth, then the remaining money is given to me. It must be noted that I weave clothes that are sold in Kumasi on order but not the other types of cloth on other.

I use cotton, rayon, silk as raw materials for weaving. I buy yarn for Kete weaving at the retail stores in Agbozume. I do not use kadada; I have never woven any cloth that requires the use of kadada either in setting the cloth or in weaving it, but I know the yarn or thread called kadada. My designs and patterns I weave in Kete are Hotsui (cowry shell), ɖⴢŋku, Obama, Kufuor, amagba etc.

Why do you adopt those designs?

I do them because they are the ones ordered by the customers.

How did you get to know the designs and patterns?

I got to know them through WhatsApp and through friends.

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

I have been doing them for over five years.

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

They are popular because when I am doing that design at Dogbekope, someone is also doing it elsewhere. So, that is what makes it very popular. Yes, now the usage is gaining acceptance in our area compared to its usage in the past. I believe this new trend in the usage could be as a result of social interaction.

Do you know any women weavers?

Yes, Mawusi Aborchie. She has been weaving for about two years now.

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

In the old days, designs are hand-picked at each stage, but now, the process involves hand-picking and twining. New designs are invented through objects that weavers see around them. For example, objects in printed fabrics and lace materials, and weavers try to translate them into kete.

What is kpe-evee vͻ?     

It is a two-warp cloth: main/mother warp and subsidiary/floating warp that are set in a loom. The mother warp is individually fixed/ passed through each eye of a heddle but the floating warp is fixed between each heddle. When this process is complete and the warp is set for weaving, two spaces are created when each of the heddles is opened. The weft is passed through each space a certain number of times depending on the type of pattern one wishes to create. Since two dragging stones: one for the main warp and the other for the subsidiary warp are used, the name kpe-evee is given to the cloth.

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

Yes, it is mainly woven at Srohume and its surrounding areas.

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

Fatigue or tiredness because of the difficult nature of the work. When it happens, I take some days off in order to rest.

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

Yes, there is high cost of yarn; there is low price for the cloth. Also, there is middlemen factor (Bojaboja) – those interpreters who assist buyers to buy clothes at the market. These obstacles are not making kete weaving business profitable and it is very discouraging.

In your opinion, how should those problems be resolved?

The price of yarn should be reduced. The middle men should be removed so that if a buyer wants to buy cloth, s/he should deal directly with sellers without middlemen.

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

It is a regular major occupation in the area; weaving is such that it can be done in all seasons. This factor sustains the industry.