Feel the mystery and essence of Africa with these superb Zulu baskets, each one unique and lovingly hand-stitched. In this age of modern technology and mass production, it is a joy to see and feel the dignified elegance and beauty of a rich Zulu heritage that has become a collectable art-form, preserving an age-old tradition proudly safeguarded and handed down through the generations.

Dotted on the rolling hills of Northern KwaZulu Natal, there exists a beehive of industry, where numerous Zulu women work at the art of Basket weaving. With the advent of the men moving off to seek work in the cities, the women have taken over what was once a dying craft, and turned it into an art form of world renown, and a major source of income for many families.  They work in their homes, where they can incorporate basket making into their normal routine, enabling them to continue to live their tradition life-styles.

Every basket is made by hand, using indigenous raw materials. The fronds of the Ilala Palm (Hyphaene Coriacea) are commonly used to weave the fine, watertight baskets, and dyes of vegetable origin (i.e. Roots, berries, bark, leaves) to colour the palm. It can take up to one month to produce a medium-sized basket that will be unique in size, shape and pattern.

Following in the footsteps of their mothers and grandmothers, young Zulu girls are taught to weave, and by the time they reach their teens, they are fully conversant in the age-old art of Zulu Basket weaving, and many are even able to help put themselves through school with the proceeds from their work.
  
 

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* Images of baskets are examples only, as each basket is unique and individually hand made. *

 



More Zulu Crafts:

shields

misc

necklaces

drums

ZULU BASKET TYPES: 

 
Ukhamba (Zulu Beer Basket):
A rigid bulb-shaped container rendered watertight by the tightness of the coil-weave, and the material used (Ilala Palm). Generally used to serve sorghum Beer on ceremonial occasions.

Isichumo:
A rigid, bottle-shaped basket used for carrying liquids, it has a lid, which fits over the neck like a cap. The same technique is used for the Ukhamba and works on the same principles.

Isiquabetho and Iqoma (Open Bowls):
The Isiquabetho is a large basin-shaped basket, traditionally used for gathering and carrying grain. Popularly used in western homes as a fruit bowl. The Iqoma is a bowl-like basket with deeper and inward curving sides, also used for carrying grain. Many have a concave base, which comfortably sits upon the head.

Nut Bowls and OOPS Baskets (Out of the Ordinary Production System):
These tiny bowls, which are useful for crisps, nuts or candy, are generally woven by the Zulu children, who are taught by their mothers to weave from as young as 5 years of age, thereby perpetuating a beautiful and traditional art-form.

Iqutu (Herb Baskets):
The smallest of the Zulu baskets, these are not woven to be watertight, as they are used for the storage of dried herbs, for both culinary and medicinal use. They are generally bottle-shaped, although a miniature version of the Ukhamba is also used for herb or dry food storage.

Canisters:
Straight sided storage baskets, useful for trinkets and nick-nacks as they have a wide opening. These are a more recent adaptation of the Ukhamba, using the same materials and patterns.

Mbenge:
A small, saucer-shaped bowl, used to cover clay Ukhamba in order to keep the beer insect and dust-free. Decoration appears on the convex side, occasionally adorned with beads, latterly a textural pattern formed with dyed palm leaves. Larger sized wall hangings are also available.