Botswana Baskets - Botswana

There are two Botswana Baskets pieces, belonging to a private collection of African tribal art.
The two pieces have different diameters of 28 cm and a depth of 4 cm.
Each basket takes about four to six weeks to complete, working every day.
The total weight will be approximately 1 kg.

Baskets

Botswana's most famous handicraft is the basket. As an integral part of Botswana's agricultural culture, Botswana baskets have been handmade and used traditionally for thousands of years.

There are two general types of handmade baskets. Lidded baskets are used to store grains, seeds, and, sometimes, sorghum beer. Large, open, bowl-shaped baskets are used by women to carry objects on their heads and to thresh grains after harvest. Smaller, plate-shaped baskets are used to thresh grains after pounding.

The main basket producers are the women of the Bayei and Hambukushu tribes, in the northwest of Botswana.

Although baskets are still very common in the rural areas of Botswana, they are increasingly being produced today for the commercial market.

The expansion and diversity of weaving techniques, patterns, and the use of color are encouraged through professional development courses, annual competitions, and exhibitions.

Today, Botswana's baskets are among the finest forms of art found in the world.

Creating a Basket
The main raw material used to make baskets in Botswana is the fiber from the palm tree 'vegetable ivory' (Hyphaene petersiana), known as Mokola in Botswana.

To create intricate designs, the natural cream-colored palm fiber is dyed in brown tones using the roots or bark of Motlhakola trees (Euclea divinorum) and Motsentsila (Berchemia discolor).

More recently, the leaves of the shrub Indigofers sp. are being used to produce a mauve color, and the sorghum husks, with a fungus, will create a lovely pink shade.

Botswana baskets are woven using the spiral method. A thin bundle of palm fiber, grass, or a single piece of vine can be used for the interior of the spiral.

To make a basket, a small hole is punched in the row previously woven with a thong, then a strip of palm leaf is inserted into the hole and wound around the core. The designs are created by weaving dyed palm leaf strips in the appropriate places.

Each basket takes about four to six weeks to complete, working every day.

Original Designs
Originally, most handmade baskets in Botswana did not have patterns, all were cream-colored, the natural color of the palm fiber. Gradually, more patterns were incorporated for identification and beautification; a result of improved and modern basket-weaving techniques. In the image, there are only four of the most famous designs. Many other traditional designs - below - are woven into Botswana baskets, ensuring to the collector a wide selection. Additionally, unique, exclusive designs are being created by true artists, blending the art of basket weaving with the world of abstract art.