Perfect Zig-Zag Pattern Handmade African Zulu Beer/Storage Basket - Kwanzaa


Perfect Zig-Zag Pattern Handmade African Zulu Beer/Storage Basket - Kwanzaa

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Perfect Zig-Zag Pattern Handmade African Zulu Beer/Storage Basket - Kwanzaa:
$95.00


TRADITIONAL Zulu Beer Basket
Fine Watertight Weave - Great Shape
Exquisite Basket
Certificate of Authenticity with Artist's Name

This basket has approximately a 8" diameter at its widest point and is 10" tall.

You will receive the basket pictured.

A Special Ukhamba is a Traditional Zulu Wedding Gift

Sometimes you see a Zulu basket and you know you love it.
It is also the only one of its kind in the world.

The Zulus are the largest tribe in Southern Africa, renowned for their artistry and craftsmanship. Many women make beautiful baskets using traditional art forms in order to supplement their incomes. For many this is their only means of support. Women work in their homes, assimilating basket weaving into their normal routines permitting them to raise their children, work in the fields, collect water or do other daily chores. Indigenous raw materials are used in making these hand-woven baskets. It can take up to a month to produce a medium-sized basket with its own unique size, shape and design. Each piece is a true collector's item.

We work with several collectives in South Africa that are helping women and HIV affected individuals to become financially self-sufficient.

Small traditional Zulu herb containers are used to hold culinary and medicinal herbs. Baskets made for holding herbs have a looser weave to allow the herbs to dry, while those made to hold fluids have a tighter weave. Zulu beer is made by allowing maize (corn) to soak in water in a covered basket until it is fermented. The beer is then wrung through a flexible basket and the grain is then given to the domesticated guinea hens. It is quite funny to watch the drunken hens wobble around. oh, and by the way, the beer is very tasty too.

Traditional Symbols Used in Zulu BasketsDiamondFemaleTriangleMale2 Diamonds
(one above the other)Married Woman2 Triangles
(forming an hourglass)Married Man*Zig ZagsA Male Basket
("Assegais of Shaka")*Diamond VariationsA Feminine Basket
("Shields of Shaka")

*These symbols are often combinedfor family baskets. Frequently each family member will have their own basket.Family baskets are commonly used to store dried goods (i.e., nuts, beans,herbs, etc.).Common Colors Used in Zulu BasketsBrown (Ububende)Palm leaves are kept in muddy soil forup to a weekKhaki Green & Khaki Brown (Mxuba)Palm leaves are soaked and boiled in amixture of cow dung and waterBlack (Omniyama)Palm leaves are first precolored in rivermud and then boiled for 8 hours in a leaf and water mixture from the Umbuquetree.Lilac (Ubukhwebezane)Palm leaves are boiled in a mixture ofcrushed shrub leaves and water.Pale Red (Bomvu)Palm leaves are boiled for 2 days in amixture of crushed Tal shrub leaves and water.

Purchase will be shipped once payment clears. New York State residents add sales tax. See our other wonderful gift items and save on shipping by making multiple purchases. Email queries welcomed. sale winner agrees to respond by email within 3 days and pay within 10.

If you aren't already known for your greatgifts, shop with us and earn a fabulous reputation. We work hard to findunusual, affordable and enduring gifts for our customers to order fromhome! You'll be amazed by the variety of very special gift items we havecollected from all over the world.

Check out our store for other wonderful Zulu and African crafts.
Large selection of items suitable as Kwanzaa Heritage Gifts (Zawadi).

Thanks for Looking - Worldesigns



Perfect Zig-Zag Pattern Handmade African Zulu Beer/Storage Basket - Kwanzaa:
$95.00

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