A World View Conference
A World View Conference
WATCH THE FULL LIVE VIDEO CALL HERE
A few weeks ago we were contacted by Dorothee at DS Agency. She had found some of our pieces through the latest stockist POP UP White Label Project hosted in Berlin.
She wrote us to share about an opportunity for AKETEKETE to take part in an international panel ‘A WORLD VIEW CONFERENCE - THE CANVAS NYC’ about fashion, sustainability and craft. Of course, we said yes!
The day arrived. Michael and I were ready for the talk. We were a bit nervous, but excited to be able to share what AKETEKETE is…
… and there we were, on Instagram Live, with Dorothee from DS Agency, Devin from The Canvas NYC and Jona, creator of beautiful knitted clothes made in Slovenia.
Five different people, coming from different places, with different stories, but one main goal - to share knowledge and passion about our work.
Here’s a quick highlight featuring a few of our favourite moments:
Your work is about remembering the past, but I also want to hear about the relationship with the work you are doing now. Considering the impact you are trying to have, amplifying memories of the past and preserving them for the future, how do you work on it?
MARIA: When Michael and I started thinking about what AKETEKETE should be and look like, we knew we had to make sure we were as culturally accurate as possible, that we wanted to use techniques that are friendly for the artisans and the environment, and also, that promote and support each of the artisan’s skills. We want to invest in the creation of valued and dignified jobs, that highlight their craft.
MICHAEL: AKETEKETE is about promoting and sharing Ghanaian craft - how it is made, where it is coming from, who made it - to tell the stories behind every and each product.
For us it is a personal object, where behind every piece, there’s an artisan, a family and a community. Each piece will make a personal impact.
Does this mean that each basket is unique?
MARIA: Exactly. Each basket is unique. The baskets pass through multiple different processes before being made, from the preparing of the material, to dyeing and then to weaving. Size, shape, colour might depend on the material used and also on the artisan’s personal touch.
All baskets are thought and imagined before being created, so you never know exactly how it will end up until the basket is finished.
What do you think about sustainability in Ghana? When you look at the local market, what is the mindset regarding this concept?
MICHAEL: People in Ghana have been living connected to nature and its processes for centuries, although we haven’t referred to it as “sustainability.”
Unfortunately, because of colonisation and globalisation, there have been lots of changes in people’s mindset and practices on a daily basis. We were told over many years that what comes from the outside is better, making us lose our traditions and beliefs, driving us to more harmful and unhealthy consumption, thus generating negative impacts on our environment.
MARIA: With AKETEKETE, we try to approach our artisans to help them value both their work and the materials they work with. We want our artisans to know there’s a market outside of Ghana that believes in their products and has ethical and sustainable values.
Our work is about empowering them to be able to say “NO” if a job payment is not what they deserve, as more opportunities will come. When you learn to say “NO,” changes begin to take place.
Does selling on international markets and having your products in stores like The Canvas at NYC help to empower the artisans? What is the feedback from them about that?
MARIA: I do believe it empowers them. Some of the artisans are on social media and they can see what is going on already: what we post, the engagement from the people, etc. It really shows them that what they create is special for other people also. For them, it’s just a tradition or a skill that has been passed down through generations but is not seen as something unique that you should be proud of.
What is the perfect scenario for AKETEKETE?
MARIA: This is something I have been giving a lot of thought to lately. When we started thinking about creating AKETEKETE, we didn’t want to create a brand. The idea was to create a market place where artisans could sell their products and where we would help them promote their products. We realised this was more complex than it sounded because of infrastructure resources and design quality.
Something I would love to see in the future is helping the artisan’s to see that the more they take part in AKETEKETE’s structure and design work, the more they can benefit from it.
There was a moment where Dorothee talked about realities. And we do believe it is important to talk about that.
MARIA & MICHAEL: Every country has a different reality and you need to learn to adapt to it and work with it. You might want to create the perfect brand (sustainable, environmentally friendly, ethical, fair… ), but you also have to think about being respectful to the people you work with; their culture, religion, way of being and also the work you are creating together. You have to be realistic about the place and make the best of it.
And as JONA just said, “Respect people, and PAY THEM!”
This interview was an amazing opportunity for us to think about AKETEKETE, our role in fashion and craft narratives and to share some thoughts we might not have shared before.
Thank you The Canvas NYC & DS Agency for making it happen!
Psssst…our pieces will be showcased at The Canvas very soon!
Did you miss our first post about who we are? Find it here!