Chapter III Use of Fiber Plants in Ghana and Commercial Possibilities
In this research project, field survey was conducted in the Republic of Ghana in August and September,2009. This chapter summarizes the report of the field survey such as the likely usage and the
distribution status for each material.
Improvements by utilizing the material characteristics are also proposed in terms of design and technicalaspects. As an example, "Cool Africa" is proposed.

3-1 Current State of the Use of Fiber Plants
3-1-1 Materials for baskets, mats, and textiles
This section describes the three types of everyday household items, namely, textiles, baskets, and mats,among those that use natural materials in Ghana based on the data obtained in the field survey.
However, in this example, baskets refer only to those that are made from stems.
1)

Natural fibers such as gramineae that are used for baskets

In the savannah region in the north of Ghana, basket weaving using grass is popular. The climate of thesavannah region is not suitable for stable farming due to the harsh dry season. In the southern region of
Ghana which has a tropical rainforest climate, palm plants are produced in abundant quantities, such as
rattan, raffia, and oil palm. In the northern region that has a severe dry season, it is difficult to produce
baskets by collecting such plants. Production of baskets using the grass stems of gramineae means
utilization of natural fibers suitable for the climate and natural environment of the savannah.
Basket-making is suitable for such a natural environment and they have been produced and used as ameans for self-sufficient livelihood. Baskets are mainly made by women, although, men are also
engaged in this activity.
Recently, baskets that are produced using the traditional basket-making techniques are popular as export
items. Such baskets are referred to as "Bolga baskets" and are mainly exported to Europe and America.
Bolga baskets are made of Vetiveria nigritana and Panicum maximum, the grasses called̈kinkasẻinlocal that grow in the outskirts of Bolgatanga and Kumasi. Some researchers say that Phragmites karka
is also used for the basket making. The stem is torn in twopieces and is used for weaving by either twisting or not
twisting the strings.

Photograph 3-1-1: Bolga baskets

Research was also conducted on the traditional baskets
produced in the outskirts of Bolgatanga, and these types are"pio", "tapo", and "zehen". Stems of sorghum and kenaf areused for pio. Stems of sorghum are used for the body or corematerial of a basket and kenaf is used as a string for fastening
the stems. Kenaf is used for tapo and̈kinkasẻis used forzehen.

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Research on basket production was conducted in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region and its fringe ruralvillage, Nyariga. The author collected some gramineae grasses from the area along the side of the roadwhile traveling to the North from the outskirts of Kumasi. The Plant Laboratory, University of Ghana
was requested to do an analysis of the plant types. The plants whose analysis was requested include Ԙgrass that was collected in Nyariga for basket production, ԙ some types of grasses that were collectedfrom the outskirts of Kumasi and Ԛ grasses that were collected from outskirts of Bolgatanga. In Japan,
analysis of the same grasses was done again by The Weed Science, Agronomy and Horticultural Science,
Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University for confirmation.
In Nyariga, a survey was conducted on the techniques and materials in the Nyariga Craft Society. In the
Sirigu Women Organization for Pottery and Art also, a survey was conducted on the basket productionthat is associated with tourism. For the history and current situation of the commercialization of baskets,
interviews were conducted in the Zonal Office of the Ghana Export Promotion Council. For basket
distribution, a survey was conducted on the basket market that is opened twice a week in Bolgatanga
City.

Photograph 3-1-2:̈Kinkasẻ, collected in
Nyariga. photograph taken by the author

Photograph 3-1-3: Making the base of abasket. Photograph taken by the author
in Nyariga.

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Photograph 3-1-4: Tool for draining off waterfrom the seeds of zehen and parkia after they
are washed. A soft basket with attractive
mesh is created by weaving straws ofPhragmites karka without being twisted. This
type of basket, however, cannot withstandweight as a container. Market of Zebira(Bokwa district)

Photograph 3-1-6: Bag woven of kenaf
strings (tapo). In the Upper East
district, a bag woven of kenaf strings iscalled a tapo and is used as a shoulder
bag for males. Photograph taken by
the author in Nyariga.

Photograph 3-1-5: Pio andsorghum, photograph taken by
the author in Nyariga.

Photograph 3-1-7: Kenaf strings. In West
African countries like Ghana, fibers thatare extracted from the strong bark of kenaf
are made into strings and usually used asbinders. Photograph taken by the author
at the market of Zebira (Bokwa district).

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2)

Natural fibers used for the production of mats

In Ghana, some mats are produced using natural fibers
and are used for various purposes in daily life. As
hardly any research has previously been conducted on
mats, the survwey was difficult. The field survey was
initially commenced by carefully observing the markets
and houses and some types could be identified by the
University of Ghana. A survey on mats was conductedentirely within the schedule for Ghana survey.

Photograph 3-1-8: Blinds hanging from theopening. Photograph taken by the author
at the craft village of Accra.

On the outskirts of the capital, Accra, and the outskirts of
Takoradi, the coastal region of Southern Ghana, the author
frequently saw hung mats (photograph 3-1-8) from openings
as blinds. At the market of Takoradi, mats produced in the
Volta region were sold. On the outskirts of Tarkwa of theWestern Region, mats are made of leaf rachises from theraffia palm, which are used for drying farm crops such ascacao, and used as bedding by spreading out on the floor(photograph 3-1-9) and blinds by spreading out on the roof.
In the Faowanye village near Beposo in the Western Region,
the author could observe mat production (photograph3-1-10). As the material for mats, the grass stems called
Mbew in Fante language and achacha in Ewe language isused, and for binding the stems, fibers of Agave sisalana ofAgavacae are used. 1 The type of Mbew could not be
identified.

Photograph 3-1-9: Mat used for bedding.
Photograph taken by the author at theEsaman village on the outskirts of
Tarkwa, Southern region of Ghana.

The yam grass used as blinds in the Brong-Ahafo Region
and the grass that is used for making fences on the outskirtsof Tamale in the Northern district were a type ofAndropogon of gramineae. In the Volta Region, a survey
was conducted on the mats made from the Cyperaceae andTyphaceae plants.

Photograph 3-1-10: Making a mat.
Photograph taken by T. Takahata at the
Faowanye village on the outskirts of
Beposo.

1

In Kenya, baskets are produced using sisal, which were not seen in Ghana.

 In the field survey, mats made from a variety of natural fibers could
be observed. However, only raffia palm, grass of Andropogon
gramineae grass, Cyperaceae plants, and Typhaceae plants could be
identified. For the others, although the local names could be
identified, their types could not be confirmed by the University of
Ghana. Although some types could not be identified, it wasclarified that a variety of natural fibers are used as the materials fortools in daily life such as mats.

3)

TextilesPhotograph 3-1-11: Making a mat.
Photograph taken by T. Takahata
in the Volta Region

The natural fibers that were assumed in the prior research and forwhich field research was conducted as textile materials are cotton, raffia, kyenkyen, and kapok.
According to Kawada, the function of garments in Western Africa was until recently more of a symbol ofprestige connected to royal authority than it was for the purpose of protecting bodies from the external
environment [Kawada 1997]. In the Kumasi region of Ghana, a symbolic structure has been formed thatis connected with the Ashanti Empire that was established at the end of the 17th Century. The garments
include cotton garments and those of bark fabrics.

For textiles, research was conducted on the fabrics called Kente in Bonwire on the outskirts of Kumasi inthe center of Ghana, dyed fabrics called Andikra in Ntonso, and the fabrics used for a smock-type
garment called "Fugu" on the outskirts of Tamale in the North East region of Ghana. Information on
cotton cultivation was collected at SARI (Savannah Agriculture Research Institute) of Tamale. Cotton iscultivated in Ghana and yarns are produced in the spinning
factories on the outskirts of Accra.
The interviews
conducted in the cotton
fabric production region
revealed that raw cotton
andcottonthreads
producedinforeigncountries such as Burkina
Faso and Nigeria are used Photograph 3-1-12: Loom for weaving
Kente. Photographed by the author
in addition to the cotton
in Bonwire.
andcottonthreads
produced in Ghana.

Photograph 3-1-13: Male
weaver wearing a Kente.
Generally, no shirts are wornunder Kente. Photographedby the author in Bonure.

Kente refers to a "congratulatory ceremonial fabric" and is producedby two ethnic groups called Ashanti and Ewe. [Iseki 2000: 156].
Conventionally, silk threads were used, but, mainly rayon threads
made in China are used currently. One fabric is created by stitching
together narrow fabrics of a little more than 10 centimeters in width.
The sizes differ between the fabric for men and the fabric for women.
A foot treadle loom is used for weaving Kente and a reed of plain
weave and a reed of pattern weave are used (photograph 3-1-12). Its feature is the geometric patterns designed by combining plain weave andpattern weave in many colors such as orange, green, and blue (photograph3-1-13) or in two-tone colors based on white and navy blue. By stitching
narrow fabrics together, more prismatic combinations of geometric patterns
are created, presenting a more attractive design. The fabric is worn bywrapping it around the body as a robe.

Photograph 3-1-14:
Male wearing an
Adinkra. Photographtaken by the author at
the market in Kumasi.

Adinkra is fabric produced by pressing patterns on a cotton fabric and is used
for funerals and mourning ceremonies. Like Kente, this is a symbolic fabricassociated with the royal authority of the Ashanti Empire. In this research,
production of Adinkra in the Ntonso village was observed. Adinkra is
produced by printing patterns using a pattern block created by a gourd withblack liquid extracted from the tree bark called‘badie’ (Bridelia ferruginea).
This block
printing method is still used (photograph3-1-15), however, mostly screen printing isapplied.

On the outskirts of Tamale in the northern
region of Ghana, there is a kind of men's garment called either a smock or a"fugu" (photograph 3-1-16). A smock is made by stitching thick narrow
hand-woven cotton fabrics (some use hand spun threads) and this garment
is popular as its dignified appearance shows the social prestige. In thisresearch, the author observed weaving in the
Photograph 3-1-15: Block
Shishev village on the outskirts of Tamale.
printing in Adinkra.
Photograph taken by the
Fabrics are woven using a foot treadle loom.
author in Ntonso.
At the market in Tamale, smocks are sewn andsold and the author observed the actual demonstration. For the cotton threads
as the raw material, industrial yarns in the southern region of Ghana aremainly used; however, some use hand-spun yarns also. On the outskirts ofTamale, the author observed a female spinning yarns from cotton.
Hand-spun yarns are not sold at markets andare used for personal consumption.

Photograph 3-1-16:
Male wearing asmock. Photographtaken by the author in
Techiman.

Garments produced by using fabrics wereoriginally worn only by the people of highranks connected with royal authority; however,currently, such garments have become popularamong the economically well-off middle-classpeople and the domestic demand within
Ghana is increasing.

The bark fabric called ‘kyenkyen’ in the Ashanti language could not be
verified in this survey. ‘Kyenkyen’ is produced by stretching the barkof a tree (photograph 3-1-17) called Antiaris toxicaria (A. welwitschii, A.
africana) by pounding. Since production of bark fabrics used for 

Photograph 3-1-17: Kyenkyen in
the Borivi forest. Photographtaken by the author.

ceremonies has been discontinued, the fabrics are now used as souvenirs. During this study, however,the fabrics could not be seen in the shops either.
Kapok, whose scientific name is Ceiba pentandra, is a tree that produces cottons in fiber form. The
author observed people who carried kapok cotton that was collected in the North, made cotton filled
pillows, and were selling them on the spot (photograph 3-1-18). Interviews conducted by the author
revealed that this type of cotton is used for fabrics since the fibers
cannot be spun to create yarns as they are straight.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (Former Zaire), raffia wasfamous for its fabric material. However, in Ghana, the author
could not witness weaving using raffia fibers. The author
witnessed that raffia trunks are used for buildings, leaf stems areused for baskets, and fibers collected from leaves are used forbinding. However, in Ghana, yarns are not made by spinningfabrics and producing fabrics using the yarns.

Photograph 3-1-18: Selling Kapok
cotton alongside the road.
Photograph by the author in

Bibliography
1)

ABBIW, Daniel K. 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana: West African uses of wild and cultivated plants,
Intermediate Technology Publications and The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

2)

GOODY, N. Esther 1982, Daboya weavers: relations of production, dependence and reciprocity, in
Goody, Esther (ed.) From craft to industry-The Ethnography of Proto-industrial Cloth Production.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 50-84.

3)

POLAKOFF, Claire 1980, African Textiles and Dyeing Techniques, Routledge & Kegan Paul:
London and Henley

4)

ISEKI, Kazuyo 2000,‫ߩࠞ࡝ࡈࠕޡ‬Ꮣ㧙ࠨࡂ࡜એධߩ❱ᯏ࡮ߘߩᛛⴚ⊛⠨ኤ‫(ޢ‬Fabrics of Africa- Looms of South Sahara: Its Technical Consideration): Kawade Shobo

5)

KAWADA, Jyunzo 1995,‫ߩ࠽ࡦࡃࠨޟ‬ᬀ‛ེᢥൻ㧙⨲ߣࡅ࡚࠙࠲ࡦߩ࠰ࡈ࠻ߥ਎⇇‫ޠ‬‫࡝ࡈࠕޡ‬
ࠞߩᔃߣ߆ߚߜ‫‘(ޢ‬Plant Container Culture - Soft World of Grass and Gourd’, Mind and Shape ofAfrica), Iwasaki Bijutsusha

6)

KAWADA, Jyunzo 1997,‫⾰‛ޟ‬ᢥൻ߆ࠄߺߚ࠾ࠫࠚ࡯࡞Ꮉᄢḧᦛㇱ‫ޠ‬‫࡞࡯ࠚࠫ࠾ޡ‬Ꮉᄢḧᦛㇱߩ⥄ὼߣᢥൻ‫‘(ޢ‬Niger Delta Seen from the Material Culture,’ Kawada Jyunzo edition, Nature andCulture of the Niger Delta, Tokyo University, pp. 47-104

7)

MAKINO, Tomitaro 1982,‫ޡ‬ේ⦡’㊁ᬀ‛ᄢ࿑㐓㧙㔌ᑯ⧎࡮නሶ⪲ᬀ‛✬‫(ޢ‬Original Color
Makino Botanical Picture Book - Archichlamydeae, Monocolyledonous plant), Hokuryukan

8)

Machida City Museum 1989,‫ߣ☜ޡ‬ⅺ▦㧙Ꮉ↰㗅ਃࠦ࡟࡚ࠢࠪࡦࠍਛᔃߦ㧙‫(ޢ‬Basket and Gourd- Based on the Kawada Jyunzo Collection), Machida City Museum 

3-1-2 Materials for baskets and furniture - with palm and bamboo as the core㩷This section mainly describes the fiber plants that are used for baskets and furniture based on the varietiesof palm and bamboo that were examined locally.
1)

Type of cyperaceae

Scientific name: Cyperus articulatus

Baskets woven with the flattened cylinder-shaped stem of this plant are very delicate and demonstrate thecraftsman's skill. Although only one design is available, the originality is unique.
The material can be easily obtained from the swamps of the area. In the Keta area of the Volta Region
where this survey was conducted, basket weaving is practiced by farmers as a side job and baskets areproduced in family units. In the area where the research was conducted, no particular producer
integrates the products within the village and since products are sold to the buyers who visit the
producers individually, the efficiency is low. Prices are dropping due to stagnant sales.
Based on this situation, it may be possible to increase the price and productivity of the local products byincreasing new design variations and establishing an organization that integrates products in village units
instead of family units.

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㩷 Photograph 3-1-20: Basket of 30 cm to 42
㩷 cm in diameter and 30 cm in height. Price:㩷 3 Cedis.
Mainly the elderly females are in charge
㩷 of basket making while children learn.

Photograph 3-1-21: Basket of 8 cm in diameter and10 cm in height. Price: 30 Pesowas.
Six baskets can be made per day.
Only purple and green are used as combinationsof other colors were not popular although they
have been produced.
The mesh size can be specified. The horizontal
yarn was made of three layers and the verticalyarn was one layer.

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2)

Oil Palm

Scientific name: Elaeis guineensis

Stems are used by tearing. Oil palm can be easily obtained from the areas that cultivate oil palm. As
utility articles, the baskets made of oil palm are used for storing and carrying farm goods to the markets.
The current basket size is determined based on the strength, however the marketability of the local
products may be increased by producing baskets of finer and better finish. Due to its strength, oil palm
can also be used as a material for making furniture.
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Photograph 3-1-22: Products sold in the Akatsi market.
The prices are as follows:
Basket size;   65 cm in diameter at a height of 35 cm: 3.0 Cedis   45 cm in diameter at a height of 26 cm: 0.7 Cedis   20 cm in diameter at a height of 17 cm: 0.5 Cedis
Thirty or more buyers visit the market and sell thebaskets to other markets in Accra City.

Photograph 3-1-23: Atsieve-Sogakophe district. Sieve
for cassava flowers made from the same material 3) Wisteria or Rattan
etc.

Scientific name: Calamus rotang, Eremospatha spp., accosperma spp.

Currently, rattan is difficult to obtain due to excessive harvesting and so production is decreasing. The
extinction of rattan has become a serious problem and there is an urgent need for artificial cultivation.
The house furnishing products observed in Accra Special City and Takoradi City apply almost identicaldesigns as those often seen in Asia. However, the quality is inferior. The quality variation is caused
mainly by the irregular material conditions and not using "patterns" for manufacturing products. The
major problem is that most workshops are located outdoors and so completed products andsemi-completed products are exposed to the rain.

Photograph 3-1-24: Basket woven in

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Photograph 3-1-25: Typical outdoor
workshop (Dwoulu district of Accra SpecialCity)㩷 the Anyreshi district. Highest quality.
Cedis. Two to three baskets can be㩷 4produced
per person per day.
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3-1-26: Wild rattan (Forest on the㩷 Photographoutskirts of Tarkwa City)㩷㩷

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Photograph 3-1-27: State of rattan cultivation
experiment Global Bamboo Company (Enyreshi
district)

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4)

African Wild Date Palm

Scientific name: Phoenix reticulata

The string made by drying and twisting the leaves of this plant is used mainly for tying up goods in themarkets. The strings are also used as the material for the baskets for onions or as tying strings for fixing
a beam to a post employing the traditional building method. The use of the material for a seating
surface of furniture and decoration is also possible. This material can be comparatively easily applied toother products with much ease.
Strings are commercially produced in the area of the research field and the strings are widely distributed
to other areas as well. The strings are also used for weaving mats that use Cyperus articulatus(Andropogon gayanus) as the main material.
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Photograph 3-1-28: Bundle of woven strings.

㩷 50 Pesowa per bundle (20 yards).
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Photograph 3-1-29: Example of application
to the seating surface of furniture, Global
Bamboo Company (Enyresi district)

The material is collected, dried, andstored, and it is once dipped in water, before
being made into a string by twisting.
(Atravenu district)

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5)

African Fan Palm

Scientific name: Borassus aethiopum

In the coastal area of the Volta region, dried leaves of this plant are used for a variety of weaving products
such as fans, mats, and baskets. The trunks, which are very hard and strong, are used for poles and thebeams of buildings. In particular, fans are also sold in other regions as useful tools for starting coal fires.
Its rough large mesh is attractive.



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6)

Photograph 3-1-30: Trunks used for poles
and beams of buildings
Photograph 3-1-31: Basket: 50 cm indiameter, 45 cm in height. 3 Cedis.
Six baskets can be produced per day

Photograph 3-1-32: Mat used for drying chili
peppers. 220 cm x 140 cm. 7 Cedis.
Two mats can be produced per day.

RaffiaScientific name: Raffia ruffia, R. vinifera, etc.

Raffia cultivation was observed mainly in the South of Ghana.
In Ghana, raffia is more widely used as the material for baskets by tearing leave rachises rather than
textile fibers. Raffia is also used for trap baskets (fish traps), cacao bean drying sheets, bedding mats,and building materials.
In Ghana, raffia is also well recognized as the plant for collecting the raw material solution for palm wineand distilled spirits.

 Due to its superior strength, rachis can also be used as a material for making furniture. (Simple benches
are also made.)
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Photograph 3-1-33: Basket (container for corn and palm kernels)

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Photograph 3-1-34: Bedding mat. 2 to 3 Cedis per sheet.
Raffia leaves are used ashorizontal threads while raffia leaf rachises are used as vertical materials.

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Photograph 3-1-35: Wardrobe made using raffia leave rachises as the surface material.
Global Bamboo Company (Enyresi district)

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7)

BambooScientific name: Oxythenanthera spp., Bambusa vulgaris

Bamboo grows extensively in the south of Ghana. Like rattan, bamboo is mainly used as furniturematerial in outdoor workshops. Many new products are also being made.
Five years ago company A started production of laminated bamboo timber and is experimentally selling
the products in the domestic market. There seems to be many difficulties in making the business
commercially viable. Initially, its price competitiveness was low as electricity and water are more
expensive than in other countries (for instance, China) and in addition, the adhesive needs to be imported.
As bamboos that naturally grow in Ghana are very hard and the knot bending flexibility is high, the yield
is low when processed into lumber. Therefore, cultivation of bamboo that originated from China isbeing introduced due to its excellent processing adaptability.
Company B has commenced planting Chinese bamboo. In the system that is being developed, nursery
plants are cultivated in fields. Plants that became grow successfully are replanted in the fields of contract
farmers, and bamboo materials are re-purchased after three years. The author observed the mats woven
using the Chinese bamboo and recognized its high product value.
Company C in Accra Special City also attempted production of boards.
switched to Kebab sticks as board production is not commercially viable.

However, the company

In Ghana, production of boards that require large scale mechanical process using bamboo as the material
is considered to be unsuitable for its large facility investment risk. Kebab sticks, toothpicks, and morehigh-value added household goods seem to have more potential.

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Photograph 3-1-36: Chinese bamboo
nursery beds
Photograph 3-1-37: Roughly cracked bamboo.
Substantially bent.

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Photograph 3-1-38: Packet(parquet flooring material)

flooring

Photograph 3-1-39: Bicycle with bamboo
frame (Abonpe district of the Eastern
district).

Photograph 3-1-41: Place mat made ofChinese bamboo.
The quality equivalent to thisproduct is desirable.

Photograph 3-1-40: Kebab sticks(Adinkrahene Concept Company) 