Ghana · Leatherwork / Saddlery
Yirie (tannery/dyeing method reference, per academic sourcing); the tannin plant is called Bagaruwa
The vegetable-tanning of cattle, sheep, and goat hides into leather goods — sandals, bags, belts, hats, cushions, and rugs — by artisans of northern Ghana, historically introduced via trans-Saharan trade routes through towns including Salaga and Yendi and today centered on Tamale, Bolgatanga, Bawku, Nandom, and Pusiga. Hides are treated using tannins from the Bagaruwa plant (Acacia nilotica), abundant and easily accessible across northern Ghana, converting raw skins into durable, non-decaying leather. Rooted in the region's nomadic pastoralist tradition, in which animal skins historically held deep symbolic value — serving, for instance, as a chief's throne (the northern equivalent of the Ashanti stool, with the specific animal species rather than the number of skins signaling the chief's power) — the craft continues today at sites such as Tamale's Zongo Leather Tannery, a living heritage and tourism attraction where demand can reach up to 20 pairs of sandals sold in a single day during festive seasons.
Risk level: Endangered · Not independently inscribed
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