What are Krobo Beads?
Krobo beads are colourful beads made by the Ashanti and Krobo tribes of Ghana from recycled glass.
1. The glass is ground, using a mortar and pestle, into fine powder.
2. Ceramic powder is then added to the sieved powder glass. This ceramic powder determines the base colour of the beads.
3. This powdered mixture is then poured into carved cylindrical holes in clay moulds.
4. The stem from the cassava leaf is inserted in the middle of the mixture in the cylindrical holes. This will eventually become the bead holes.
5. The clay moulds containing the powder are then placed in a clay oven to be heated. During the heating process, the cassava stem burns out creating the bead hole.
6. Once the beads have become like putty, they are left to cool and then washed.
7. The beads are then painted. Each bead usually has up to five or even six different colours. With every colour added, the bead must be be reheated in the oven.
Care must be taken not to overheat the beads.
PHOTO: Original Krobo Beads by
Ossom Creations
+233505338978
