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: 24 December 2021.

What is your name?

Rebecca Hodetsi.

How old are you?

34 years.

Where do you live?

Tackscorner Nyormikope.

What is your major occupation?

Trading and kete weaving. I weave kete to assist my husband especially when he gets a contract which demands more hands to complete it on time.

How long have you been weaving?

About 14 years.

Why did you choose kete weaving as your major occupation?

I realized that my husband who is a weaver needed assistance in weaving, so I decided to learn the trade to supplement his production.

What type(s) of kete do you weave?

Silk, nyamiakwa and kpe-vee.

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

We sell the product at Agbozume market and sometimes at Kumasi.

What raw materials do you use in weaving?

Cotton, miran and dye-yarn.

How do you acquire the yarn for kete weaving?

I buy it at Agbozume market and sometimes at Kumasi.

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

Obama and fiazikpui.

Why do you adopt those designs?

Customers prefer them.

How did you get to know the designs and patterns?

I knew them from my husband, who taught me.

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

Over ten years.

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

Yes, they are popular, but people in this area do not use them.

Have you invented any design or pattern in kete?

No. But my husband, Jerry Sika Sosu did.

He invented the design in the year 2006 and named it edzi (heart). According to him he always brings out new designs whenever the old one is fading out. So, he saw the love symbol on a scarf and decided to bring it into kete. He again said that when he sent this design to the market, customers were pleased with it and demanded more of the cloth. Other colleague weavers also picked up this design and it is still trending today.

Jerry Sika Sosu’s invention: edzi (heart).

Do you know any women weavers? 

Yes, Dzigbordi Kwakugah; she has been weaving for ten years. Esinam Bedzo; she has been weaving for about 15 years. Sodziezↄ Kwakugah; she has been at work for about 10 years.

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

Yes, at Srohume, Tackscorner, Avlorto, for example.

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

Tiredness and waist pains. Then also a few customers in the market at times make it difficult for her to sell her product.

I take a nap/rest or use pain killers. About the difficult customers, there is nothing I can do about it.

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

There is frequent increase in the price of yarn, while the price of kete remains the same for a very long time.

In your opinion, how should those problems be resolved?

I would suggest that leaders of the country should step in to stabilize the price of yarn and provide a good market for our products.

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

It is a major source of livelihood left behind by our forebears.

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

It plays a very significant role in kete business because of its proximity to kete weavers. Buyers from far and near visit the market to purchase kete and this is why it is very important.