TATINGA: Natural Rim Bird Nest Bowls - Set of 3
Description
A trio of open weave baskets crafted from Mkenge tree roots in Zambia, with a natural-coloured rim crafted from rolled and twisted roots. These decorative pieces will bring a soothing dose of rustic texture and organic tones to any corner of the home – and there’s only one set available, so snap them up now!
These bird nest bowls are woven by men and women of the Lozi Tribe in rural Zambia, under the guidance of an environmental NGO which has been active for nearly thirty years. The group has a craft centre where weavers can travel to work from and board at, if they wish, since some of the weavers live many miles from the hub.
Weaving offers men and women the chance to earn a reliable second income, to supplement agricultural livelihoods which are often unpredictable. In this region of Zambia it is typical for families to earn their income through growing crops like rice, maize and vegetables, or through through fishing, livestock and poultry.
Material: Mkenge Tree Roots
Dimensions: DIA
Small: 24cm
Medium: 29cm
Large: 33cm
Please note, as this is a handmade product, dimensions & colour may vary from those shown in the photographs.
HANDMADE IN ZAMBIA
We are delighted to be bringing beautiful Zambian basketry to The Basket Room, and thus connecting some incredible, rural craft collectives with conscientious customers all over the world. As part of our mission to discover and connect with the most talented craftspeople across Africa, Holly and Peris travelled to Zambia in 2019. Here they met and spent time with three different weaving groups who between them produce some of the woven wall baskets, decorative dancing baskets and handwoven place mats that we are now so pleased to be able to share with you.
Natural dyes are a key feature of this very special Zambian basketry, and the weavers we partner with are masters in achieving beautiful, earthy colours from blending rust, leaves and bark from specific indigenous trees in vats of boiling water.
Men and women both weave in Zambia, and the winnowing baskets that we sell as large wall platters are often used in many weavers’ homes, and for the careful work of separating rice and grain from chaff.
Our Zambian baskets are a celebration of the weavers’ natural home environment, woven from raw materials such as palm leaf, twigs and creeper vines. Some baskets are woven from the carefully stripped roots of certain trees, harvested in a sustainable way that means the tree is not damaged and the root can continue to grow and provide an ongoing source of weaving materials.
Weaving is a vital income source and a way of life for the people in these rural communities. Other means of income are blacksmithing and woodwork, fishing, growing rice and vegetables, and rearing livestock and poultry. People as young as the age of eighteen weave in these Zambian groups, and local schools even run weaving clubs so that youngsters can learn this precious craft and continue this age-old legacy for generations to come. To own one of these handwoven baskets is to become a guardian of this sustainable craft and a supporter of these Zambian weavers’ economic empowerment.
Shop the Dancing Bowls here
Shop the Palm Placemats & Trays here
Shop the Wall Platters here
Shop the Statement Art Baskets here
