The Tamale Cultural Centre is a modest complex where artisans from the north sell their work directly — a better option for buying crafts than the central market if you want to spend time looking at what you are getting. The stock reflects the distinct material culture of northern Ghana: handwoven fugu smock fabric in various patterns, leather goods including sandals and bags, carved and painted calabashes used for both decoration and daily life, and the distinctive guinea fowl motif that appears on everything from baskets to printed cloth.
Northern Ghanaian crafts are different from what you will find in Accra or at Kumasi's Kejetia market. The smock weaving tradition in particular is specific to the north — the geometric patterns are Dagomba in origin, and the cloth is both practical and beautiful. Artisans at the cultural centre are generally willing to explain their work and the prices are fair. It is a low-pressure place to browse and a useful stop if you want to come back to the rest of the country with something that is genuinely from this region.