Why You Won’t Find Us at a Certain Market Anymore
For over four years, we’ve been part of one of Accra’s most well-known artisan markets. Every month we showed up, rarely missing a Saturday market day, staying consistent, and supporting the event even when our own table had little visibility or foot traffic. Customers often told us we were “hard to find,” but we remained loyal, believing that showing up helps the whole community.
We’ve always seen markets as more than just sales: they’re spaces to connect, to share stories, and to build each other up. Many vendors have become a cherished part of our chosen family. That’s why we would regularly recommended the market to new visitors, encouraging them to come and explore. We believed in contributing to a stronger artisan network, not just promoting ourselves.
But recently, the vibe has shifted into something we cannot support and we made the decision to step away.
The Breaking Point
On one particular weekend, after arriving only minutes later than usual, we were approached with an aggression that shook us deeply. What should have been a simple reminder about punctuality quickly escalated into hostility more suited to a military drill than a community market. We were spoken to with unnecessary aggression - even threatened with a baton - behaviour so extreme it might sound almost comical, if it weren’t the reality. As absurd as it was, this is happening regularly, and many vendors have endured far worse. In truth, we got off lightly compared to what others have faced.
A Pattern of Vendor Intimidation
Over time, there have been numerous public displays where vendors have been shouted at, humiliated, or pressured to beg forgiveness just to keep their tables. In some cases, traditional craftsmen, elders, many of whom rely on artisan markets as their primary source of income - have been subjected to degrading tactics: letters threatening exclusion, being forced to kneel on the ground to beg (can you imagine!), and then placed “on probation.”
Even more troubling, serious weapons have been carried openly (baton and taser) within what is meant to be a safe, family-friendly artisan market environment, alongside repeated displays of verbal abuse and aggression.
This culture of fear strips dignity from artisans who simply want to share their craft. It is far from an isolated incident and it reflects a systemic pattern of market organisers intimidating vendors and using fear as a tool of control.
Markets should never be about power, fear, or humiliation. They should be places where creativity, respect, and community are at the centre and it seems some markets have lost the way.
Why We’re Speaking Out
We share this not to point fingers, but because silence allows these harmful patterns to continue. We know many vendors have felt the same but stayed quiet for fear of losing their place. We get it, the pressure is real. Dignity and community should be at the heart of markets, not fear and control. Because when the spirit of artisans is diminished for the sake of ego, everyone loses.
Markets invite customers to celebrate handmade goods, but real authenticity includes transparency. We urge buyers to consider not only the beauty of the products, but also the conditions in which artisans are treated.
Looking Ahead
So while you may not see Weave and Sew products at that particular market anymore, you will find us in new spaces - both online and at events where artisans are celebrated, not controlled. We’ll continue to honour the values that brought us into this work in the first place: respect, creativity, and community.
Our hope in sharing this story is not to close a door, but to open a dialogue and highlight oppressive behaviour that should not be accepted. We want to imagine markets in Ghana where artisans feel safe, valued, and proud. Where the joy of making and selling thrives free of intimidation.
That’s the future we believe in. And we hope others, both vendors and customers, will stand for it too.
If you are a vendor who has experienced similar treatment at artisan markets in Ghana and wish to share your story confidentially, you are welcome to reach out to us.