The baskets from Bolgatanga are made from a straw known locally as ‘elephant grass’. This straw is the key to why Bolga baskets are much stronger than baskets made from grass. When a Bolga straw basket gets wet it bounces back into shape and dries again without losing any of its strength, unlike grass baskets.

The production process:

• Once the elephant grass has been collected, each piece is split in half vertically.
  
  


• The two pieces of straw are now twisted together by rolling them together. The weaver usually uses her leg or a thong/flip flop, this strengthens the straw.
  
  


• The twisted straw is dyed in boiling water with the dye added. For bright colours the straw is dyed yellow first, then the colour.
  
  


• Weaving starts at the base and works up to the rim. The base is nearly always made from undyed and untwisted straw.
  
  


• There are several different handles, but all are made with a sturdy wrapping technique around a grass core.
  
  


• The remaining pieces of straw that are sticking out of the basket are carefully trimmed off.
  
  


• The leather handles (usually goat leather) are added to complete the basket.
  
  
• Click here to see Sankofa's baskets.