The Handicraft Center
The Handicraft Center promotes the traditional arts and culture of Dschang and its surrounding communities. The Center was founded in 2000 by Fonwouo, a talented and articulate basket maker, artist, and teacher. The center has been moved to Bahouan. Although currently consisting of a small shop, Fonwouo hopes that the center will grow. He also hopes that basketmakers and people interested in the crafts of Western Cameroon will contact him, as he is quite isolated from the rest of the world and is very interested in exchanging ideas and selling Cameroonian arts and crafts. Fonwouo is also willing to travel and teach basketmaking to anyone who will sponsor him. Besides English and French, he also speaks Bahouan, his native language, and 8 other Cameroonian languages.

 

Basket bottom	Basket top	Finished raphia baskets by Fonwou

   

Beadworking is a traditional local craft. Fonwouo encourages the beaders by selling their work at the center. Almost any surface can be beaded, including wooden bracelets, Fonwouo's baskets and gourds!

 

Here are a few of the hand made items for sale at the Handicraft Center:

   

Dyed and hand woven raphia bags

 

Bracelets and letter openers		Carved and shaped horn

 

Lamps

 

For more information about the Handicraft Center, or to place an order (orders must be paid for in advance with Western Union), please contact Fonwouo (in English or French) at: The Handicraft Center Bahouan West Province Republic of Cameroon Africa Telephone: (237) 526-2812 email: Fonwouo

Version Français

For more about raphia baskets, see "Raphia Palm Basketmaking in Western Cameroon, Africa," in SHUTTLE, SPINDLE, & DYEPOT, Winter 2003/2004, 21-24.

Links:
African Arts/Handicraft and Environmental Management Institute (AFHEMI)
Art-Batik of Adehoumi Sikirou Shola
Bark Pictures of Claude Ngaha
Gîtes Ruraux de l’Ouest
Metal Casting in Foumban
Wood Carving in Foumban
Abdou Mfopa
Pottery of Western Cameroon
Tapestry Crochet in Cameroon
Cameroonian Basket Maker, Fokam Goufo Buhler
Cameroonian Author, Mih John Fung
Cameroonian Painter, Hilarion Wirdzeka Faison
Nigerian Painter, Elcarver Rotimi Agbola
Adinkra in Ntonso, Ghana
Ashanti Kente Weaving in Bonwire, Ghana
Ashanti Kente Weaving in Adawomase, Ghana
Ewe Kente Cloth Weaving in Denu, Ghana 
Painting and Baskets of Sirigu, Ghana   
Tapestry Crochet Home Page
Cane basketsof Mexico
Reed baskets of Mexico
Tapestry crochet basket pattern
Carol Ventura's Home Page 

Recommended books:
Hans Knopfli has written the best books I have ever read about the crafts of Cameroon. Please go to his web page at http://www.kamerun.ch/html/en/home.html for more information about them.