Ewe fisherman Dzobo Rubben weaves a basketry fish trap. He uses cordage to secure the bamboo sticks, using his feet to hold the trap in place as he weaves using cordage made from vines. These woven sticks will form the outer body of the basketry trap. Akanyakrom, 23 July, 2022.
Ewe fishermen Dzobo Sebastian (center), and Dzobo Rubben (left) weave the tongue (exa woade in Ewe) of a basketry fish trap. They use vine cordage to secure the bamboo sticks. This portion of the trap is inserted into the woven cylindrical trap body, allowing fish to enter but blocking their exit from the basketry trap. Maxwell Gbadago (right) uses a wooden mallet to pound a vine that has been twisted and dried in order to remove its bark and make it pliable. The resulting rope will be used to weave remaining parts of the fish trap. Akanyakrom, 23 July, 2022.
An in-progress narrow raffia mat used as a teaching/learning aid. The mat is tied to a raffia palm stick that holds the mat in place as weaving proceeds. Loose raffia pieces extending from the middle and top of the mat represent places where raffia strands have been added or ended. These loose ends will be trimmed when the mat is completed. The active row of weaving is seen at the bottom of the picture. Sabiye, 28 July, 2022.
A wooden mallet used in rope making lies on the ground to the right of a coil of rope. This rope was made by beating the surface of a vine to remove its bark and soften its texture. The rope will be used to weave a large bamboo fish trap. Akanyakrom, 23 July, 2022.
A partially complete basketry fish trap made with bamboo sticks and vine cordage. View looking to the interior after four bracing hoops have been inserted. The hoops are placed at intervals to expand and brace the bamboo sticks that make up the trap's outer body. Akanyakrom, 26 July, 2022.
Ewe fisherman Dzobo Rubben holds the woven triangular bamboo-and-rope cover to the basketry fish trap as Dzobo Sebastian secures it in place. This cover can be removed to access fish in the trap. Akanyakrom, 26 July, 2022.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Akanyakrom
Subjects:
Men's work
Subjects Facet:
Bamboo; Cordage; Fish traps; Handicrafts; Baskets; Ewe (African people)
Ewe fishermen Dzobo Rubben (left), Maxwell Gbadago (center) and Dzobo Sebastian (right) stand alongside a bamboo fish trap that they made from locally harvested resources. The trap is oriented in the way it would be placed in the water, braced by two long sticks that would be driven into the river bottom. The trap would also be secured by a rope anchoring the trap to a nearby tree or other secure object. Akanyakrom, 26 July, 2022.
Ewe fisherman Dzobo Rubben uses a cutlass to smooth a stick that will be used to make the interior hoops that open and brace the inside of basketry fish trap. Akanyakrom, 26 July, 2022.
Rights:
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
Publisher:
University of Victoria Libraries
Location(s) Facet:
Akanyakrom (resettled)
Subjects:
Men's work; Cutlasses
Subjects Facet:
Fish traps; Handicrafts; Baskets; Ewe (African people)
Ewe fisherman Dzobo Sebastian forms a hoop from a flexible stick. He uses his feet to secure the stick as he makes a hoop of the right size to stretch and brace the bamboo sticks of the outer body of a basketry fish trap. Akanyakrom, 26 July, 2022.
Cordage used to secure a hoop formed from a flexible stick. The hoop will be used to stretch and brace the bamboo sticks of the outer body of a basketry fish trap. Akanyakrom, 26 July, 2022.
