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Description

A fish basket, or pouch, woven of palm leaf. The pouch is triangular in shape, with a wide bottom that tapers to a narrow, circular mouth. The palm leaves are arranged in vertical rows, with small gaps between them. The leaves are folded in half, with the folded sections acting as the bottom of the pouch. Small vines are woven in perpendicular rows across the leaves, so as to hold the pouch together. The vines are woven through the gaps in the leaves, going over the first leaf, under the next, and then over again in an alternating pattern. This pattern is repeated every 5-7 centimetres, for a total of nine rows. At the neck of the pouch, a vine has been woven around its circumference multiple times. At the mouth of the pouch, the palm leaves are folded over to form a horizontal rim, and secured with thin, cotton thread. The thread wraps around the rim of the pouch multiple times, and in opposite directions, forming X shapes. This cross-stitch lashing occurs at 1-2 centimetre intervals. A long piece of rope is knotted at the mouth of the basket, enabling the user the carry or attach the basket to their waist. The rope was previously green, but most of the colour has faded away. At the bottom corner of the pouch, a light blue fibre has been wound repeatedly around a vine.

History Of Use

Information from exhibition catalogue, titled Fishing Baskets of Asia Pacific: "Fishing pouch-Thongs (India). Woven of palm leaves, this bag is attached to the fisher's waist for storing his catch while fishing."

Narrative

Basket displayed in an exhibition in 1997 titled, "Fishing Baskets of Asia Pacific"; related to Canada's Year of Asia Pacific programming.