Arts of Ghana (2006)

2006. 60 minutes. Ghana. Documentary

The many peoples of Ghana create beautiful Kente cloth, brass castings, stamped Adinkra cloth used in funerals, stools carved of wood and royal arts. They also use drums in ceremonies when the tonal patterns of the drumming match the tonal patterns of the spoken messages, allowing the drums to "speak." Five videos shot in August 2002 describe each of these art forms in detail. The complex parts of the Kente loom are explained, as well as the technique of double weaving. Lost-wax brass casting is explained from the modeling of the wax figure to the pouring of the molten brass and the breaking of the mold to reveal the completed work of art. An Adinkra artist explains the proverbs behind each of the stamped patterns as he works on a funeral cloth. The manager of a stool-carving workshop describes the types of each of the stools used by royals and commoners. Finally, the chief drummer of the Omanhene of Techiman speaks praises for the Bono people as the royal drums "speak" the very same phrases.