Bolgatanga, capital of the Upper East Region, is home to the **Bolgatanga Craft Village** — the region's best-known artisan market, where you'll find the famous *Bolga baskets* woven from *veta vera* (elephant grass) alongside leather goods, smocks (*fugu*), and straw hats. It sits in the heart of town, a short walk from the main lorry station, and is the single most convenient place for a visitor to see and buy authentic Upper East craftsmanship in one stop. The baskets themselves are the star. Bolga baskets are woven from a stiff straw grass harvested along the White Volta and its tributaries, then dyed in bright colours and woven into the distinctive round, oval, or "market" shapes with leather-wrapped handles. The craft is traditionally a **women's trade** — weaving is done at home, often in the dry season when farming slows, and the baskets are then brought into Bolga town for sale. The most famous weaving communities are **Zuarungu**, **Sumbrungu**, **Sherigu**, **Kulbia**, and **Pusu-Namongo**, all within a short drive of Bolgatanga. Several of these villages have their own weaving cooperatives and "basket centres" where you can watch the women work and buy directly — often at better prices than the Craft Village, and with the money going straight to the weavers. If you want the full experience, the **Sherigu** and **Sumbrungu** centres are the ones most visitors are taken to; they're organised, welcoming, and give a genuine look at how the grass is split, dyed, and woven. The **Bolgatanga Craft Village** is best for a quick, central browse and for variety — it also stocks leather sandals, *fugu* smocks, and jewellery from across the Upper East. A practical note: prices are negotiable, and quality varies — check that the weave is tight and the handle leather is properly stitched. Buying directly from a weaver or cooperative usually gives you a better basket and a fairer deal for the woman who made it. As the Akan say, *"Onipa na ɔyɛ ade"* — it is the person who makes the thing; behind every Bolga basket is a named weaver, and the craft village and the village centres are where you meet her. If you want, I can point you to specific cooperatives or help you plan a route through the weaving villages around Bolgatanga.