Creator: Clark, Gracia

Description: Aluminum casting has no logical connection to Islam, but has become an occupation identified with Muslims in Kumasi. Decades ago, the VALCO aluminum refinery at the Volta Dam produced quantities of scrap metal from its smelters and manufacturing processes. Northerners predominated in recycling cardboard, paper, and other metal scrap, so they became expert in recycling this aluminum into sturdy cooking pots of many sizes for sale all over Ghana. The complicated melting and casting process uses lost wax molds made of sand, also used by Asante brass and goldsmiths for making their renowned gold weight figures, gold jewelry, and even spare keys. The close-knit community of workshops in one spot helps expand markets fort he pots by reassuring buyers of their standard size and quality..

Subject: Craft Workers
Men

Date: July 2009

Date Range: 2000-2009

Location: Kumasi, Ashanti, Ghana

Format: Video/mp4

Language: Twi

Rights Management: For educational use only.

Contributing Institution: Gracia Clark; MATRIX: Center for Digital Humanities and Social Sciences at Michigan State University

Contributor: Carmen Paz (Videographer)

Digitizer: Paz,Carmen