Basket Item Number: K4.345 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Conical, coiled basket coloured a natural medium-brown. Has geometric designs that consist of elongated light golden-brown triangles edged with dark brown around the upper portion, with diamond shapes around the lower portion. The rim is dark brown.

History Of Use

Woman’s field, or burden, basket (ohumba); used to carry harvested crops and agricultural tools, such as a hoe and pounder. The flattened base allows for someone to wear the basket on top of their head. Grass weaving is done by both men and women, but baskets are traditionally woven by most women. Geometric patterns are common in Ovimbundu basketry.

Specific Techniques

Dyes used in this basket are light and dark brown. To create brown dye, yellow and red dye are mixed together; shade of brown is determined by the ratio of the red and yellow dyes. 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. 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.

Item History

What

Name
Basket
Identification Number
K4.345
Type of Item
basket
Material
grass and sisal fibre
Manufacturing Technique
coiled, false embroidered and imbricated
Overall
height 27.5 cm, diameter 34.6 cm

Who

Culture
Ovimbundu
Previous Owner
Anne E. Copithorne
Received from
Anne E. Copithorne (Donor)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
Angola

When

Creation Date
before 1950
Collection Date
during 1950
Ownership Date
before November 14, 1973
Acquisition Date
on November 14, 1973

Other

Item Classes
basketry
Condition
good
Current Location
Case 100
Accession Number
0251/0075