Tamale's central market is one of the largest in northern Ghana and the commercial pulse of the region. It is a proper working market, not a tourist market — the people shopping here are buying provisions for their households, not souvenirs for their luggage. That said, the market is an excellent place to find things that are genuinely from the north: shea butter sold in rough blocks, smoked fish, dried spices, local grains, and the striking handwoven smock fabric known as fugu or batakari, the traditional dress of the Dagomba people.
The fugu deserves its own attention. These loose, embroidered shirts are worn by men across the north and come in distinctive geometric patterns — they are one of the most recognizable items of clothing in West Africa and far more practical for the northern climate than anything made in the south. The market stalls sell lengths of the woven fabric, and tailors can usually turn them into a garment quickly. Look also for calabashes, carved and decorated, and leather sandals made locally. Prices are low and haggling is normal; start at roughly half the asking price and meet somewhere in the middle.