Botswana Raffia Basket 17 Inch

This basket from Botswana is very similar to those from the Zulu of South Africa. As for the Zulu, the tradition of making baskets has been known in Botswana for a very long time and is still alive today and even more diversified in terms of style, size, and decoration. The creativity of people from Botswana has reached its apex with these timeless baskets today overlooked as pieces worth collecting. Making baskets is an activity exclusively reserved for women, particularly the women from Bayei and Hambukushu ethnic groups. These stunning baskets are made from palm tree fibers. This palm tree, called Mokola is found along the Okavango area. The technique and process of fabrication are very complex. It can take up to a month to produce a medium sized basket. Every basket is made by hand, using indigenous raw materials mainly fibers from the Mokola palm. Reeds or straws are used to ensure the strength of the basket. Then, the basket would hold its shape and it would be hard to be compressed.

Provenance: From the collection of Jerry Kasparek, Santa Barbara.

Jerry has been collecting for most of his 84 years. He started collecting when he was in the Navy, after college. An architect with an eye for beauty and design, he collected primarily African and Native American items. We are proud to offer a part of his collection.

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