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Basic 3 · History · Inter-Group Relations

Crafts and Goods Exchanged

In this topic you will name crafts and other goods exchanged among ethnic groups.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

  • Name crafts exchanged among groups
  • Say where each craft came from
  • Explain how crafts spread

What you already know

  • Food items exchanged

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Strand
My country Ghana
Sub-strand
Inter-Group Relations
Indicator
B3.2.2.1.2 – Name some of the items exchanged among the various groups

Introduction

A smock from the north, kente from Bonwire and beads from Krobo can be found in markets all over Ghana. Crafts travelled through trade.

1. Crafts and Goods

Crafts exchanged
ItemWhere it came from
smocks and leather goodsthe north
straw basketsBolgatanga (Upper East)
kente clothBonwire (Ashanti) and Agotime (Volta)
beadsKrobo (Eastern)
potteryVume (Volta) and many villages
goldAkan forest areas
A smock, a Bolga basket, kente cloth and Krobo beads
Figure 1: Crafts exchanged in Ghana Draw two crafts and write where they come from.Photos: Salifu Wumpini Hussein, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Vrinda Khushu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Warmglow, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons; Warmglow, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

2. How Crafts Spread

  • Traders carried them to distant markets.
  • People learnt the skills from each other.
  • Chiefs gave them as gifts to other chiefs.

New words

craft
Something made skilfully by hand.
leather
Material made from animal skin.
pottery
Pots made from clay.
skill
The ability to do something well.

Summary

  • Smocks, baskets, kente, beads and pottery were exchanged.
  • Gold came from the Akan forest areas.
  • Crafts spread through trade, learning and gifts.

Class activity: Craft Fair

  1. Bring or draw a craft from your area.
  2. Label where it comes from.
  3. Exchange "crafts" in a pretend market.

You need: Ghana map, Tray of local barter-item samples, Pictures, Cowrie shells, Source-area cards

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. Where do Bolga baskets come from?

    • A. Bolgatanga
    • B. Accra
    • C. Cape Coast
    • D. Ho
    Show answer
    Answer: BolgatangaThat is in the Upper East.

  2. 2. Which craft comes from Krobo?

    • A. Beads
    • B. Smocks
    • C. Gold
    • D. Kola
    Show answer
    Answer: BeadsKrobo are famous for beads.

  3. 3. Smocks come from the north.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueThey are northern garments.

  4. 4. Gold came mainly from the Upper West savanna.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: FalseGold came from Akan forest areas.

  5. 5. Pots made from clay are called ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: potteryThat is pottery.

  6. 6. Give two ways crafts spread long ago.

    Show answer
    Answer: Any two: trade, learning skills, gifts between chiefs.Crafts spread in many ways.

Homework

  1. Find a craft at home and ask where it was made.