KWABLA has entered into partnerships with artisans of the Ga culture from Ghana. To browse KWABLA's catalogue of goods or listing of artisans from the Ga culture, click on the icons at the bottom of the page. The people of the Ga tribe inhabit the plains along the coastlands of the Gulf of Guinea in the Greater Accra Region. The Ga ethnic group comprises mainly of the Ga-Mashie groups occupying neighborhoods in the central part of Accra. Apparently, consensus is yet to be reached with regard to the origin of the Ga people. Some still hold the assertion that the Ga people migrated from somewhere east of the Accra plains, but others suggest a distant locale within Nigeria as the source of the Ga tribe. The Ga tribe predominantly resides in fishing communities along the coastal plains of Accra. The onset of rural-to-urban migration has not prevented the Ga people from maintaining the core aspects of their heritage. According to the legends, the Ga people traveled for many years before reaching the West Coast of Africa where they presently reside. Ga traditional oral history describes a time long ago when the rains stopped and the sea closed its gates. A deadly famine spread throughout the southern Accra Plains, the home of the Ga people. The Ga survived this difficult period by helping each other and sharing what little they had amongst the tribe. When the harvest finally arrived and food became plentiful, the people were so happy that they celebrated with a festival that ridiculed hunger. To commemorate this history of hardship and charity between tribal members the Ga people celebrate the beginning of every harvest period. The celebration of the Homowo (“making fun of hunger”) Festival by the Ga ethnic group is the most sacred of this tribe’s occasions. The leader of the Ga tribe is referred to as the Ga Mantse. The Ga Mantse never speaks directly to anyone in public instead he speaks through his spokesman or linguist referred to as an Otsame. The Otsame carries a staff that is decorated with an elaborately carved head and the Coat of Arms of the Ga tribe. The Coat of Arms of the Ga tribe depicts a deer, representing the Ga people, standing on the back of an elephant and symbolizes the strength of the small over the large. The Ga love to speak in proverbs and symbols. For example, one folk tale speaks of a great exodus of people from the sea to the shores of Accra. The migration lasted for days. The awesome sight gave the name Gaga to the thousands of souls who poured out of the sea. Gaga is also the name for the red ant, because the migration did indeed look like a migration of red ants. Even today people still say that while a Ga may be nice, he too can sting like a red ant. The Ga love each other. They call all members of the human race brothers and sisters. They are taught to welcome strangers from anywhere into their homes and villages. The Ga people treat their elderly with a great deal of respect. Growing old is not a problem in the Ga culture. To browse KWABLA's catalogue of goods or listing of artisans from the Ga tribe of Ghana, click on the icons below. Catalogue of Goods from the Ga Tribal Culture Listing of Artisans from the Ga Tribal Culture