Basket

Item number K4.339 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

A coiled circular basket with the sides flaring upward. Design consists of a twelve equally spaced medium coloured brown inverted partial v-shapes. Rim of basket has medium brown dots forming slanted lines.

History Of Use

Flat tray-like baskets (ongalo) are used for winnowing maize, as well as serving food. Grass weaving is done by both men and women, but baskets are traditionally woven by most women. Geometric patterns are common in Ovimbundu basketry and certain designs have names with meanings. In some cases, geometric designs are used to indicate a standard of capacity within the basket.

Specific Techniques

The dye used in this basket is red-brown. To create brown dye, yellow and red dye are mixed together; shade of brown determined by ratio of red and yellow dyes. Yellow dye is made from roots of wild rhubarb (ocilunguluila). The roots are pounded and placed in cold water with the grasses used to create the coils. Afterwards, the mixture is placed in a fire to boil for half an hour, turning the grasses amber-yellow. Red dye is made by cooking leaves from an evava plant and boiling them in water with bark of the ukondo tree. After they are sufficiently simmered, they are mixed with ash and buried.