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: 23 December 2021.

What is your name?

Amuzu Klomegah.

How old are you?

45 years old.

Where do you live?

Dogbekope.

What is your major occupation?

Weaving is my main occupation and I support it with salt winning and seasonal farming.

How long have you been weaving?

I have been in this business for over thirty years.

Why did you choose kete weaving as your major occupation?

I chose it because it is one of the major occupations handed over to us by our forebears and it is more reliable than other works in the area.

How did you learn the craft?

I learnt the craft by observing it from my elder brothers. When they got out of the loom, I used that opportunity to practice what I had observed. Through that process, I learnt how to spin yarn, set warp and other features of kete weaving.

What type(s) of kete do you weave?

I will classify them into three (3). 1. Plain weave, with no floating designs; see samples below.

2. Kpe-evee with samples below

3. Design type, aɖaŋuvⴢ with samples below.

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

I weave on order at times, but because orders are not regular, I mostly sell my products at Agbozume marketplace.

If you weave on order, describe the process.

There are three things involved after we bargain over the price of the cloth. First, if I trust that the person will pay me after work is done, I use my money to buy the materials for the sample which is given to me and work for the person and I am paid later. Secondly, the work is prefinanced with more than half of the bargained price of the cloth and when work is complete the difference is paid. Thirdly, if the customer has confidence in me, the total price for the cloth is given to me and I produce the cloth for the customer.

What raw materials do you use in weaving?

In the past, I dye aƒeɖeti (yarn), but now I use cotton (very durable yarn), rayon, silk and shine.

How do you acquire the yarn for kete weaving?

I buy it from retail stores at Agbozume.

Do you use the yarn kadada in weaving?

Yes, I use it mainly in weaving aƒevɔ.

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

Many of our designs do not have names.

Zero zero

Cowry (hotsui)

I don’t know the name

Why do you adopt those designs?

They are the ones patronized by the clients and they add beauty to the cloth.

How did you get to know the designs and patterns?

I get them samples from friends and through WhatsApp.

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

They started coming in late 1990s, so I have been doing them for about 20 years.

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

They are woven in most places so I would say they are popular. Our people wear them at times, on occasions like funerals and festivals.

Have you invented any design or pattern in kete?

Yes, a customer wanted a design in a printed fabric to be woven in kete for her in April 2021. I placed the printed fabric which served as sketch before me and step by step, I wove the design into the kente. It was approved by the buyer and I wove the quantity she wanted. It looked like capsized canoe (ʋutsⴢnyi) though I have not given it any name.

Picture of the design is below:

“Ʋutsⴢnyi”

Do you know any women weavers?  If yes, name them and state how long they have been in the job.

Yes, Vida Sikakpe. She has been weaving for about three years.

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

Designs and patterns in the old days were solely hand-picked, but now they are hand-picked and twined. Modern designs are based on what people see around them in their environment: in the books, magazines, lace materials and printed fabrics.

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

Yes, at Akaglakope, Srohume, Avata, Glidzi, Agbodokope.

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

Asante kente has only one cloth-design type whilst Agbozume type of kete has different design forms:  design, kpe-evee, and plain weave.

Also, Asante type is crutch woven whilst Agbozume type is twine woven.

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

Yes, there is frequent increase in the price of yarn under the excuse that the US dollar rate is fluctuating. Because I will spend the money if I keep it home, I always buy the yarn and keep it on reserve.

In your opinion, how should those problems be resolved?

I believe if we could get an investor who would be bringing the yarn to Agbozume and sell it at wholesale price it will be very beneficial to us.

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

It is the most sustaining work that you can do to supplement all other work because it is all-season work.

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

Without the market being here, we will have to sell it elsewhere so the market provides convenience for us and it saves us time in travelling to a far place to transact our business.