Makenge Flat Wedding Basket 18 Inch Zambia Sidley Collection

Handwoven Makenge flat wedding basket handmade by the Mbundu women within Zambia. These baskets are traditionally made from the root of the Makenge plant and are gifted as wedding gifts throughout generations. These baskets are used to serve fruits, seeds, or other dry foods. Harvesting and crafting these baskets requires a long process. The Makenge root is harvested without harm, allowing the plant to grow up to three feet per month. Once harvested, the root is then sliced and peeled and weavers will dye the fibers with natural roots. Once the fibers are dried, they will re-wet the leaves and spend multiple days weaving the basket. The final result is a beautiful and rigid piece of work that will withstand the test of time. 

Provenance: Niña Sidley Collection

After a long career in publishing, Niña Sidley returned to her first love: collecting the art, artifacts, and textiles of the world’s indigenous peoples. Part of her mission has been to educate others and to honor the extraordinary creativity, ingenuity, and heartfelt messages these handmade works send from their makers. Niña believes this deep respect for tradition and beauty inspires and ties all of us together as one world.

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