The baskets in Ghana, known internationally as Bolga baskets, are exclusively woven by the indigenous people of Bolgatanga, a historical town in Northern Ghana. Bolgatanga literally translates to “soft soil, rocky land.” Bolgatanga, colloquially known as Bolga, is the capital of Ghana’s Upper East Region, with a population of approximately 50,000 people. It is the…

Pottery is one of the oldest human technologies and art forms, and it is still a significant industry in Ghana. In many parts of Ghana, pottery is the primary source of income for the people. The material from which pottery ware is made is clay. The most common type is earthenware, also known as “Asanka…

Sculpture in Ghana refers to any of the creative forms in which three-dimensional art objects are created from materials such as stone, metal, wood, or clay. The designs might take the form of standalone objects, reliefs on surfaces, or surroundings that range from tableaux to enveloping contexts. Some Ghanaian sculptors use volume and space to…

Ghana is noteworthy for being the first African country to gain independence from the British. Ghanaian officials commemorated this significant transformation by renaming the land after a famous indigenous culture from the past. While mythical in nature, these evocations of noble origins, combined with a rich cultural heritage and a militant nationalist movement, have provided…

The word Homowo (Homo – hunger, wo – hoot) can mean “to hoot (or jeer) at hunger” in the Ga language.  The tradition of Homowo started with a period of hunger leading to famine due to failure of the seasonal rains needed by crops in the Greater Accra Region, where the Ga people predominantly dwell. When the rains returned…

The Odwira Festival is celebrated by the people of Akropong-Akuapim, Aburi, Larteh and Mamfi in the  Eastern Region.  This festival is celebrated in most Akwapim towns during the months of September and October. The Akuapem Odwira festival was initiated by the 19th Okuapimhene of Akropong, Nana Addo Dankwa I (1811-1835) and was first celebrated in…

St George’s Castle, a Unesco heritage site, was built as a trading post by the Portuguese in 1482, and captured by the Dutch in 1637. It was expanded when slaves replaced gold as the major object of commerce, with storerooms converted into dungeons. The informative tour (included in the entry fee) takes you to the…

Cape Coast Castle is the largest of the buildings which contains the legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Like most ancient fortifications in Ghana, Cape Coast Castle played a significant role in the gold and slave trades. But also, two significant contributions were made here: the arrival of…

Near the coast at the far western side of Ghana, near the border with Cote d’Ivoire, is a village that is unique in all of Ghana. Spectacular scenery of the 400-year old stilt propped water settlement of Nzulezu, is a unique village built on stilts in Lake Tadane, which is home to hundreds of people in…

There are actually two falls at Boti: The upper falls and the lower falls. These are the main features of the Boti Falls (what has widely been talked about is the lower falls). The locals describe it as male and female (this description is for the lower falls only). When the volume of water is…