Early 20th Century Tutsi Basketry Baby Hat Rwanda

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The traditional art of Rwanda and Burundi is usually represented by basketry, pottery, metalworking, and Jewelry. Little is known about … Read more The traditional art of Rwanda and Burundi is usually represented by basketry, pottery, metalworking, and Jewelry. Little is known about their sculpture. The Tutsi excel in producing these beautiful miniature lidded baskets, which become symbols of the Tutsi culture. These baskets called Agaseki were made from vegetable fibers of sisal and papyrus trees (Nigwegwe). The grasses of these trees were soaked in the water for almost two weeks to make them soft. Then they were beaten with stones and dried. Earlier examples like this were made of the natural pale gold color of the fibers decorated with the patterns in black which came from boiling the root and seeds of the Urukamgi plant or the banana flowers. Recent examples incorporate imported dyes including red, green, orange, and mauve. The range of the patterns is unlimited and shows the creativity of women from Rwanda and Burundi. Many of these designs have specific names. These baskets were served as containers to transport valued foods such as eggs, milk, beans, meat, and other valuable objects. They were presented as wedding gifts to the bride and groom. They were also used as decoration. After the genocide of 1994, the miniature baskets have become symbols of peace, as Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa women sit side by side to weave the “peace baskets”. They have new designs and are more colorful compared to these earlier examples. Also, the straw used for these new baskets is thicker than the traditional ones.Stand not included.







Height (In) 17.0Width (In) 10.5Depth (In)  4.0







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