Kente Factory – Ashanti Region, Ghana
Kente is a traditional Ghanaian textile made out of silk or cotton fabrics, woven into cloth strips. Kente is native to South Ghana and is commonly made throughout the Ashanti Region, outside of Accra. Each color within the kente cloth represents a different meaning such as black for maturation, blue for peacefulness, and gold for royalty and wealth. The making of the kente cloth is a process that uses the entire body, from the hands down to the toes, making sounds similar to that of music.
Anani Memorial International School – Nima, Accra, Ghana
Anani Memorial International School was established in 1975 by Yao Anane Nager. Today, the school is run by Nager’s son, Kofi Anane. The school provides an education for those who often cannot afford it such as Ghanaian orphans by waiving the school fees. Additionally, the schools focuses on keeping traditional Ghanaian music and dancing alive through instruction of music, dance and art.
TK Beads – Amrahia, Ghana
TK Beads is a traditional glass bead making factory outside of Accra in Amrahia, Ghana. Here, workers hand-make glass beads from crushed recycled glass, which they put into clay molds of varying sizes and fire in a kiln for approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Once they have been fired, cooled, and cleaned, each bead is hand painted. In ancient times, beads were used as a currency; today, they are used to adorn the body and attract tourists due to their beauty and vibrancy. Similar to the kente cloth, the colors of the beads are symbolic such as blue for purity and white for fertility.
The Thread Foundation – Ntonso, Ghana
The Thread Foundation was founded by David Kwaku Boamah in 2008 with the motto, “Forward Ever – Backward Never.” His goal is to empower the next generation of Ghanaians through income generating activities like thread textiles, weaving and adinkra stamping as well as educate them in traditional art forms through dancing, drumming, and the creation of kente.
To fund the foundation, Boamah and his team create different products such as kente cloth, purses, clothing, etc. all stamped with various different adinkra symbols. Each adinkra symbol represents a different meaning such as courage, harmony, and patience. These symbols are stamped onto the products using a vegetable and plant-based ink and a curved wooden stamp. All profits go toward the projects of the Thread Foundation.
Artists Alliance Gallery – Accra, Ghana
The Artists Alliance Gallery was founded in 1993 with the mission to provide a space to present authentic African Art. In the building, they feature hand-painting, wood-carvings, kente, beads, hand-made drums and masks, and many other forms of traditional Ghanaian artwork. Founder Emmanuel (Atto) Glover and his son, Larry Atto, say the Artists Alliance Gallery creates an atmosphere where current and up-and-coming artists can showcase their work and art lovers have the opportunity to come view and purchase the work. Emmanuel Glover maintains a small studio within the gallery, where he paints and mentors aspiring artists. He features women has his primary subjects in his paintings because he believes in their strength, courage, and belief to keep Ghanaian traditions alive despite the troubled times like slavery.
Elmina Slave Castle – Cape Coast, Ghana
Elmina Castle was built in 1482 by the Portuguese as a trade settlement in Elmina, Ghana; but, it eventually became one of the primary stops on the route of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Here, thousands of Africans were held captive in tight dungeons with little to no light until they were led out of the “Door of No Return” onto the slave ships to be taken to the newly colonized territories in the Americas. Directly above these dungeons were the Governor’s Quarters, made of the finest materials, and a chapel, where the officers, traders and their families would attend mass while thousands of Africans suffered directly below.
When Ghana received its independence from Great Britain, control of the castle was transferred to the Ghanaian government in 1957. The castle became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Today, it looms over present-day Elmina as a constant reminder of the painful, eye-opening history of the Ghanaian people.
Photos by Janel Irving
Captions by Haley Walter
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