A TRADITION OF BASKET WEAVING IN GHANA
Starting from a small woven circle, Ghanaian basket weavers work their way out from a central point to reveal beautiful, distinctive Bolga baskets. Sometimes called “market baskets,” Bolga baskets are woven from veta vera, or elephant grass. While the grass is grown primarily in southern Ghana, weavers in the northern region of Bolgatanga excel at transforming the tough grass fiber into the iconic baskets. The people from the region rely on the sale of handcrafted items to supplement their income, and their craftsmanship is demonstrated by the high quality of these artfully woven baskets.
The weaving of Bolga baskets in Ghana has been a traditional skill for many generations, and is often a communal process. The Bolga baskets sold by Swahili Modern are fair trade and a reliable source of income for weavers and their families. Just as the baskets begin as a small circle and expand, so does the impact of purchasing fair trade items that directly benefit, support and empower the artisans who create them.
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With accents of dyed blue milulu grass, these durable baskets are handwoven from milulu, a reed-like grass that grows near the city of Iringa, Tanzania.
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Size: (approximately) Sm: 10-11"D x 11"T; Med: 12-13"D x 12"T; Lrg: 14-15"D x 13" T. Because this product is handmade, designs will vary slightly.
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Home of the Hehe people, the city of Iringa is situated 300 miles from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and stretches along a hilltop overlooking the Ruaha River to the south. Iringa is famous for its woven baskets made from local reeds. The baskets are an important source of income for the 100,000 population town and are used across Tanzania and exported worldwide.
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The Mountains of the Moon in Uganda contain the most varied and vibrant mountain scenery: from tropical rainforest, through alpine valleys, to snow-capped peaks and glaciers. These lovely baskets feature patterns echoing the shape of mountains, created by Ugandan artisans using vibrantly dyed raffia coiled over banana stalks. This sustainable, colorful art will elevate your wall display—simply hang using its raffia loop. Or, find a myriad of uses for these functional baskets, from the tabletop to the garden.
Size: [Small] 10"D x 2.5"T; [Medium] 12"D x 3"T; [Large] 14"D x 3.5"T. Because these are handcrafted items, colors and patterns may vary slightly.
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Uganda Crafts 2000 Limited, a member of the International Fair Trade Association teaches basic handcrafting skills to rural & urban women and provides income opportunities for the marginalised and disadvantaged: people with disabilities, widows, orphans, single mothers, women with minimal education, and people living with HIV. They handcraft baskets using natural raffia, some with natural dyes, wrapped over coils of banana leaf stems.
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Store your laundry or your children's toys in this stylish hamper, or simply use to enhance your home decoration!
These hampers, handwoven by an association of more than 100 rural Wolof women in the West African nation of Senegal, bring beautiful modern artisan craftsmanship to homes around the world. These useful baskets are woven in the coil style by binding dried cattail stalks with aqua, brown, and white plastic strips salvaged from a Dakar mat factory. The combination of natural and synthetic materials beautifully displays modern African artistry.
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Measurements: [L] 7.5"D x 5"T [M] 5.5"D x 4"T [S] 4.5"D x 4"T.
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For the pastoral communities of northern Kenya, life pivots on the coming of rain and the survival of livestock. When the skies open, the landscape becomes lush and fragrant. Cattle and goats drink and forage near home and families stay together. In times of drought, warriors must travel far to find water for their herds, leaving women and children at home alone to endure dry seasons of unknown length as the streams, earth and trees dry around them.
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Sold individually. Because this is a handcrafted item, each will vary slightly.
Size: 7-8"D x 2"T
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Size:
[Small] Only one remaining 18.5”T x 15”D.