Ghana Baskets: Custom XL Sculptural Forms from Northern Ghana’s Weavers
Oversized forms commissioned exclusively for RFB Woven Art. Wavy, hairy, and architecturally bold, woven from elephant grass by artisans in Ghana.
Commissioned Exclusively for RFB
These XL sculptural forms were designed and commissioned specifically for RFB Woven Art, working directly with Bolgatanga weavers. Standard smaller Bolga market baskets are widely available elsewhere — these are a different category entirely, custom-scaled for interior use as statement art. If you’ve seen Ghana baskets elsewhere, they are not these.
Ghana’s Sculptural Basket Tradition
Ghana’s Sculptural Basket Tradition
Ghana is one of the world’s great basket-weaving nations, and Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region is its center. For generations, the Gurune people have woven from elephant grass. What RFB sources is the sculptural end of that tradition — oversized, architecturally bold forms that push beyond utility into statement art. Wavy silhouettes. Hairy textures. Large floor pieces. Custom scale.
What Sets Them Apart
Wavy Forms
Shaped while the elephant grass is still moist — undulating curves hold as the material dries. No mold, no machine. The wave is formed by hand.
Hairy Texture
Untrimmed grass ends left deliberately proud of the surface. Catches light differently throughout the day. Raw, textural, unmistakable.
XL Scale
Custom-commissioned at a scale larger than standard Bolga baskets. Designed to fill rooms, anchor floors, and serve as the primary visual object in a space.
The Making
How Ghana Elephant Grass Baskets Are Made
Elephant grass — also called Veta Vera or Napier grass — is harvested across Ghana’s savanna. Weavers split the straws by hand, sometimes using their teeth to start the separation, then twist them to strengthen the fiber.
Natural plant-based dyes are applied. The grass is soaked in water before weaving to make it pliable enough to shape.
The basket is built coil by coil. Wavy shapes are pressed into form while the grass is still moist — the rim and body hold their curves as the material dries.
Final trimming with a razor blade removes the spiky grass ends. This stage alone takes a full day of careful work — one wrong cut can damage a week of weaving.
Ghana vs Rwanda Baskets: What’s the Difference?
Ghana — Elephant Grass
Large, wavy, textural. XL custom forms with floor presence. Bold statement pieces for rooms that need a sculptural anchor. Woven from elephant grass by Gurune artisans in Bolgatanga.
Shop Ghana Baskets →Rwanda - Tall Baskets
Tall, geometric, precision-coiled. 54–65 inches high. Bold patterns drawn from peace-basket tradition. A vertical counterpoint to Ghana’s horizontal sculptural presence.
Explore Rwandan Baskets →The Place
Bolgatanga: Where the Craft Lives
Bolgatanga — “Bolga” locally — is a town in Ghana’s Upper East Region and the epicenter of Ghanaian basketry. Farming is only viable April through July in the region. The remaining eight months, weaving becomes the primary income source — an economic foundation for families, not a side craft.
RFB works directly with Bolga weavers to commission sculptural pieces at a scale the broader Bolga export market doesn’t typically produce. Learn how we source →
Questions About Ghana Baskets
What are Ghana baskets made from?
Elephant grass — also called Veta Vera or Napier grass — harvested across Ghana’s savanna. Weavers split straws by hand using their teeth, twist them to strengthen the fiber, then dye with natural plant pigments before weaving. The grass is soaked in water before shaping to make it pliable.
Can I buy these Ghana baskets anywhere else?
No. These XL sculptural forms were commissioned specifically for RFB Woven Art and are not available through any other US retailer. Standard Bolga market baskets are widely available at smaller sizes elsewhere — these are a different category entirely, custom-scaled for interior use as statement art.
What makes RFB Ghana baskets different from other Bolga baskets?
The Bolga basket category spans everything from market totes to large sculptural floor pieces. RFB commissions specifically at the sculptural end — oversized, wavy, hairy forms selected for their capacity as statement art objects. These pieces were designed for rooms, not shopping trips.
What is a wavy or hairy Ghana basket?
Wavy baskets are shaped while the elephant grass is still moist — the rim and body are manipulated into undulating curves that hold firm as the material dries. Hairy baskets leave untrimmed grass ends deliberately proud of the surface, creating a raw, textural quality that catches light differently at every angle throughout the day.
How long does a Ghana basket take to make?
A medium piece takes several days. A large XL sculptural floor basket takes a week or more from grass preparation through finishing. The final trimming stage — removing spiky grass ends with a razor blade — alone requires a full day of careful work. One wrong cut can damage an entire week of weaving.
Who makes Ghana baskets?
Primarily the Gurune people — also known as the Frafra — of Bolgatanga in northern Ghana’s Upper East Region. In Bolgatanga, farming is only viable April through July. Weaving fills the remaining eight months as the primary income source for families, making it an economic foundation — not a hobby.
Where can I buy large sculptural Ghana baskets?
RFB Woven Art is one of the few US sources for XL custom-commissioned sculptural Ghana baskets — wavy, hairy, and large-scale forms not available from general importers. Each piece is personally selected from Bolgatanga weavers and purchased at fair prices.
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