The long drives have given me an opportunity to see the people and the land while exploring small parts of Ghana, Benin and Togo. Throughout the journey, I wish I could have photographed all the different ways people use their talents to create functional and beautiful art. Although there is definitely a great deal of poverty, along with corruption, the people find a way to make a living and in the process create art.
The best part about our drive to Krubo as we return back to the Republic of Ghana from the Togolaises Republic on Tuesday morning, was our afternoon visit to the bead factory.
In my days of jewelry making, many, many years ago, before piecing and hand quilting reproduction antique quilts and now traveling took hold of my time, I was fortunate enough to buy beads from a wholesale shop in Dallas, Texas. And, my beads of choice were antique African Trade beads.
The decorative glass Trade beads were used between the 16th and 20th centuries as a token money to exchange for goods, services and at one time, slaves. Today varying forms of beads are worn as a symbol of heritage and wealth.
Getting to visit the bead factory was a sheer delight. And, seeing the small business spirit in action through ways so different than our Western ways of doing things intrigues me and makes me so proud of my African heritage.
The gift to create something beautiful in ways Westerners are not accustomed to continues to intrigue and I’m so proud of my Benin/Togo and Ghana ancestry. I feel that piece of my creative soul is directly linked to my visionary ancestors. Enjoy this very small sampling of West African artistry.
Me at Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana. This bead complex creates the glass beads and sells them. I bought several of the bracelets. (Jan. 15, 2019)A pile of glass beads made at Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana. (Jan. 15, 2019)Alima, at Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana, demonstrating for our group how the glass pieces are prepared for the kiln. (Jan. 15, 2019)Alima, at Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana, showing us broken antique glass trade beads that are melted down and used to create new trade beads. (Jan. 15, 2019)Alima, at Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana, showing us how broken pieces of glass are used to create the trade beads and that a mixture of glass bottles can be used or varying solid colors can be used. (Jan. 15, 2019)A pile of glass bottles stored on the site of Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana, used to create contemporary glass trade beads that incorporate antique bead designs. (Jan. 15, 2019)Cedi himself demonstrating how the glass beads, at his company Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana, are handled when they make it to the kiln. (Jan. 15, 2019)The small kiln used at Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana, to melt the glass and create the designs for the glass trade beads made at this bead factory. (Jan. 15, 2019)A poster at Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana, showing the importance of trade beds in the African culture. The large singular bead is the king bead and is worn by royalty. (Jan. 15, 2019)A variety of individual glass beads at Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana. (Jan. 15, 2019)Various bracelets for sale at Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana. I must admit, I bought a nice selection of about 10 of these bracelets that came out to a little more than $20 U.S. (Jan. 15, 2019)Inside the small bead store at Cedi Beads in Krubo, Ghana. (Jan. 15, 2019)Beads being worn by attendees at the annual Voodoo Festival in Ouidah, Benin, shows the importance and prominence trade beads have in the lives of Africans. (Jan. 10, 2019)Beads being worn by attendees at the annual Voodoo Festival in Ouidah, Benin, shows the importance and prominence trade beads have in the lives of Africans. (Jan. 10, 2019)Young men welders in Atakpamé, Togo, creating machetes and various steel parts for things such as hoes. (Jan. 14, 2019)Two young men working in tandem to shape a piece of steel in Atakpamé, Togo. (Jan. 14, 2019)Young woman weaver in Atakpamé, Togo, creating a piece of Kinte cloth from her makeshift hand loom. (Jan. 14, 2019)Young woman weaver in Atakpamé, Togo, creating a piece of Kinte cloth from her makeshift hand loom and her child close-by. (Jan. 14, 2019)Young woman weaver in Atakpamé, Togo, creating a piece of Kinte cloth from her makeshift hand loom. (Jan. 14, 2019)Young woman weaver in Atakpamé, Togo, creating a piece of Kinte cloth from her makeshift hand loom. (Jan. 14, 2019)Small sewing businesses in stalls and outdoor shops, like this one in Ghana, are common especially in small villages. Sometimes there’s one woman working along or a group of up to four or five women who sew to produce everything from church robes to wedding attire to school uniforms and also garments from traditional African fabrics. Men also have sewing stalls or little outdoor shops like this where they produce men’s suits and even motorcycle covers. (Jan. 15, 2019)Seamstresses, in their own single person or multiple person outdoor shops or stalls like this one throughout Ghana, are making a living and fostering the country’s entrepreneurial spirit. (Jan. 15, 2019)While walking through the markets in Kumas, Ghana, we came upon this tailor shop. When I looked in and saw this tall, man working, my mind went instantly to my maternal grandfather, Everardo Ambrocio Schoop, who came to the U.S. from the island of Curacao settling in Brooklyn, New York, where he had his own tailor shop on Hoyt Street. (Jan. 17, 2019)Met this young man while literally walking through the Kumasi, Ghana, market and he kindly granted me the opportunity to photograph not only his workshop but to take a photograph with him at his sewing machine. (Jan. 17, 2019)Came across this young lady, on our way to the Elmina market area in Ghana, sewing school uniform skirts. (Jan. 18, 2019)The sewing machines used by the young girl in Elmina, Ghana. (Jan. 18, 2019)For most of our trip through Ghana, Benin and Togo, our tour group had our own cook, Mensah, who made our daily lunches at little restaurants along our travel route. Here’s another of our buffet lunch meals in the Ashanti area of Ghana. The artistry of Mensah’s culinary skills kept our tour group, including myself, well fed with tasty food. This is our stopover restaurant in Ghana and our group is chilling and waiting on our cook Mensah to prepare our buffet lunch. (Jan. 17, 2018)For most of our trip through Ghana, Benin and Togo, our tour group had our own cook, Mensah, who made our daily lunches at little restaurants along our travel route. Here’s another of our buffet lunch meals in the Ashanti area of Ghana. The artistry of Mensah’s culinary skills kept our tour group, including myself, well fed with tasty food. (Jan. 17, 2018)For most of our trip through Ghana, Benin and Togo, our tour group had our own cook, Mensah, who made our daily lunches at little restaurants along our travel route. Here’s another of our buffet lunch meals in the Ashanti area of Ghana. The artistry of Mensah’s culinary skills kept our tour group, including myself, well fed with tasty food. (Jan. 17, 2018)For most of our trip through Ghana, Benin and Togo, our tour group had our own cook, Mensah, who made our daily lunches at little restaurants along our travel route. Here’s another of our buffet lunch meals in the Ashanti area of Ghana. The artistry of Mensah’s culinary skills kept our tour group, including myself, well fed with tasty food. (Jan. 17, 2018)For most of our trip through Ghana, Benin and Togo, our tour group had our own cook, Mensah, who made our daily lunches at little restaurants along our travel route. Here’s another of our buffet lunch meals in the Ashanti area of Ghana. The artistry of Mensah’s culinary skills kept our tour group, including myself, well fed with tasty food. This photo is of the artwork on one of the wall’s at our stopover lunch restaurant in Ghana. (Jan. 17, 2018)
Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Press Esc to cancel.
