The leather boys of Tamale
This week we are in Tamale to experience an ancient traditional vocation, leather making. Tamale is the southern member of the three-city northern capitals triangle. The other two are Bolgatanga and Wa.
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This position comes with some advantages. It serves as the gateway. The last time I checked, this destination was one of the fastest growing cities in West Africa.
In Ghana, Tamale is the NGO capital. All the major NGOs are here. Their operational presence means donor cash, migrant labour and four-wheel drives. With the arrival of people from all parts of the world to work, the face of Tamale keeps changing.
The Immigration Service code for the place is Tarmac. And the tarmac at the Tamale airport is getting busier with increased flights that arrive daily.
In response to the economic growth, star-rated hotels are springing up. International schools, that are as sophisticated as those found in Accra, are coming up.
Indeed, in Tamale, I have patronised a waakye joint that turned out to be more expensive than your Hajia Special at Adabraka.
But Tamale also has a side that holds on to the old ways. Just like the incredible balance you see on bicycles and motorcycles, the town exudes a balanced energy of the traditional and the cosmopolitan.
For example, if Accra is now becoming aware of (and scared of) Okadas, here, they are the toys of the street. And, in fact, it is women who have tamed the motorcycles.
Yes, the ladies are daring with their motorbikes but their heads are still clad in the customary “mayafi”. And when you greet them they bow and chant “naa.”
One section of Tamale that continues with the traditional vocations is the Zongo-Mazeema area. The ‘Islamised’ neighbourhood is just a stone’s throw away from the central business district.
There are no date palms here but if you love the tasty woody fruits, you’ll love this area. Date fruits are displayed in such abundance that you are vaguely reminded of a Northern African community.
It is within this setting that you’ll discover the leather cottage industry of Tamale. The fellows at the centre of operations are young men who are energetically engaged in various aspects of the leather process.
This tannery has been in operation since the 1940s. The leather boys picked up the trade from their fathers, who also apprenticed it from their fathers.
The interesting thing is that you get to see the process from start to finish.
The process begins when the skin is removed from the animal, it is left to dry in the sun for some time. After it has become dry and hard, it is soaked in water over a period.
At this point, the hair and the fat are removed with a blade. The next process involves soaking, drying and stretching to give the material the desired texture and colour.
Plants and other materials are pounded into powder and added to water to make a dye. (In the big compound, giant calabashes are filled with coloured water.)
In case you have forgotten, let me just say that we get so many items from leather; including hand bags, shoes, belts, bags, sandals, sword shields, drum heads, car seats, jewellery cases, etc.
There is another reason why the tannery business in Tamale is significant. You see, this is Northern Ghana and here, skins really matter. It is a regalia of traditional authority. While chiefs sit on stools in southern Ghana, across the north they sit on animal skins.
PS: Dear Readers,
Thanks for the feedback and words of encouragement on our journeys. The Mirror is very grateful. I am glad to announce that for the next few editions, we have invited some good friends who have been generous enough to share their travel writings with us.
My guest writers will tantalise you with tales of their own experiences on how beautiful our Dear Ghana is. We wish you a nice reading in advance.
Kofi Akpabli is a communications specialist and a consultant at TREC, a tourism and culture research group.
Email: [email protected]
