Ntikumahs Journey-A Travel & Entrepreneurship blog by Kwaku Abedi: Kumasi Arts and Crafts

Monday, 25 August 2014

Kumasi Arts and Crafts

A few weeks back i wrote on the awesome arts and crafts i saw in Bolgatanga whiles backpacking in northern Ghana. Currently i'm in Kumasi which is the capital of the Ashanti region of Ghana. I have a soft spot for this city because i lived here for 10 years and therefore have so many fond memories of the time i spent here growing up. One of the things the people of Kumasi are known for is how high they uphold their traditions and culture. I dare say Kumasi is the most culturally grounded city in Ghana. The sense of community is strong and family ties are revered. On any given Saturday you would see droves of people clad in black going from one funeral to another. Their passion for football is unrivaled and be ready to listen to not less than 6 daily sports updates on local radio at any given day.

There are many things to see and do in Kumasi (expect a bazillion posts on that one). One of the things Kumasi is known for is its beautiful wood carvings and sculptures. These carvings are made primarily in a suburb of Kumasi called Ahwiaa though some can also be found at the arts and cultural centre. At Ahwiaa you would see a wide array of beautiful wood carvings made from the finest of wood and sculpted to perfection. Some of the wood carvings include dolls known locally as 'akuaba', masks, stools,drums, key chains etc.It's interesting to note that the school i attended when i lived in Kumasi was quite close to Ahwiaa but i never really bothered to admire the beautiful work of art and the amount of time, energy and work that goes into these crafts. Now that i'm old i tend to appreciate it more because there is no way i can make any of these things therefore i have new found respect for these craftsmen and what they do. Just take a look at some of them.