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Things Unveiled: African Basket

Discovering & Exploring African Basket Weaving

Statement of Interest

I’ve always loved baskets. Since the first time I moved on my own, being married for 11 years, I have always found myself decorating with baskets. Consequently, I chose to research and collect artifacts about the origins of baskets in Africa, specifically from Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda. African baskets, to me, make my home my home. Although I have yet to find where my ancestors come from, seeing the craftsmanship of the Ghanaian Bolga basket, Rwandan Basket Bowls, and the Ugandan Pots and Bowls, somehow connects me to the lands in which my ancestors called home.

The Influence of African Culture in America

There are many ways in which we can see the influence of African culture on art in the United States. In the South specifically, due to chattel slavery, we see the influence of slaves and West African culture engrained into its artifacts and culture. Especially regarding basket weaving, ceramics, sculptures, food, and music (Vlach, 1948). James Porter, in “Four Problems in the History of Negro Art,” stated that there are unmistakable signs of African recollection [of art in America] in peculiarities of surface design characterizing effigy vessels made in stoneware [and basketweaving] of the people of African descent in South Carolina (1966; pg. 6). Although by the time the descendants of Africans began creating and using things which we called artifacts today, they had never experienced the authentic culture, tribe, town, or country that they’re forefather and foremothers were taken captive and transported away from, the impact of what was and is past down from generation to generation remained. This idea was even noted by Cedric Dover in his article titled “American Negro Art,” published in 1960.

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Ahal Tibqah on Basket Weaving

Ahal Tiqbah is a basket weaver in South Carolina who has been weaving baskets since she was nine years old with her foster mother and siblings. She speaks about her experiences and what she's learned through basket weaving through the years. 

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Mary Miles Blanchard | 1928

The Basketry Book

This book is a comprehensive guide to the traditional craft of basket-making. This book offers a detailed exploration of various basketry techniques, materials, and designs, making it an essential resource for beginners and experienced artisans. Blanchard meticulously explains the processes of weaving, coiling, and plaiting, providing step-by-step instructions accompanied by illustrations. This book covers a wide range of basket types, from simple everyday baskets to more intricate and decorative pieces. With its emphasis on craftsmanship and attention to detail, The Basketry Book remains a valuable reference for those interested in this ancient, timeless art form.

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Discovering African Baskets

No matter the country, basket weavers are mainly women who weave baskets as a social activity. In some cultures, many make baskets for income, but others use them to pass stories down from generation to generation. 

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Ghana
"Tehei" or Bolga Baskets

the Bolga baskets are woven by the women of the indigenous Gurune (or Frafra) people. They are located around a town called Bolgatanga in Northern Ghana, and is where the baskets get their popular name. Its original name is “tehei”

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Rwanda
"Agaseke" or Basket Bowls

The handcrafted Rwandan Basket bowls are called agaseke. They are well known for their wonderful, vibrant colors. They are typically given to commemorate significant life events such as weddings, births, and graduations as they result from hard work and take long hours to complete.

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Uganda
"Bukedo" & "Raffia" Baskets
or Pot and Bowl Baskets

The strong and eye-catching pots and bowls of Uganda are not only beautiful, but they are strong. They call their pots and bowl baskets, "bukedo" & "raffia"  The baskets made by Ugandans help to tell their story and pass down culture - community, spiritual, and daily life. 

African Basket Weaving Documentaries

Earlier, we explored the experience of a current basket weaver in America with a basket weaver whose ancestral origins are in Africa. However, as we explore the craftsmanship of African baskets, specifically, the following documentaries will explore the basket-weaving traditions in Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda. 

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A Basket Full

A Basket Full by Brittanny "Ribqah" Walk

A basket is a basket, no matter how you look at it. 

 

A basket full of dreams, hope, and fear.

Outside the lines thinking, 

How many rounds will it take to get back?

 

Back to our first love, 

Our first dream,

Our first hope of reality – 

But Fear.

 

Fear holds us back from our true potential,

It has most of us in a trap, feeling mental.

But time will tell,

How this story ends and the breaking of the spell,

No more dying, crying, just thriving –  

To be Royalty.

 

Royalty seems so far away, 

Now, there’s no choice but to stay, 

Despite the dreams of our ancestors, 

There’s nothing holding us back,

Except the how, when, and where.

Chasing dreams that never could be reality,

Especially when my ancestors were kings and queens –

How Tragic.

 

Tragic how things change

From a rich land with rich resources and culture,

We’re influencers, trend-setters but taken to a land by vultures. 

The lies were told,

But the secrets hold,

The truth of a people riddled with curses.

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Cursed to a land that wasn’t created for us,

Yet we find light, sustaining the tempus

Continuum, a vortex in time, 

That seems to never unwind.

But the reality rings through, 

That underneath the perpetual cycle,

Is that this life and this land is not our own. 

This gives hope and helps us realize– 

We’re chosen. 

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We were created to be the light 

Even though our light is dimmed it still flickers

Flickers with belief,

Flickers with hope, 

And it Flickers with faith, 

And love.

 

Love who we are created by,

And who we were created for, 

And who we were created to be.

Love is the glue that ties us together.

Love is the key that keeps us going.

Love cancels hate and fear. 

It’s  the thing that makes us – 

Full.

 

Though we were born from curses, we rise,

Filled with love—

A love that survives every shadow,

A love that binds us to the truth of who we are. 

 

It’s our basket!

And each coil goes higher,

And is tied together by belief! 

 

So remember, as you go on in this life 

 

A basket is a basket, no matter how you look at it.

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