Hands Around the World

Specializing in Hand Made Treasures from Around the World

Native American and Ethnic Baskets

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Indonesia

Bali

From the Indonesian Island of Bali come these baskets and trays with carved wooden details.

Open Moth basket - great for fruit or display, approx. 16" x 18". Item BaB1803 - $15.99 Lidded chicken or bird basket, approx. 14" x 11". Item BaB387 - $22.75

Lombok

From the very traditional Indonesian Island of Lombok come baskets very tightly woven with animal lids that are hand carved from wood.

Traditional basket weaver of Lombok

Carved wooden lizard lid, 9" tall x 5" in diameter. This basket sits on a wooden stand that does not show in the photo. Item LmB1127 - $50.50 Carved wooden bird lid, 8" tall x 5 1/2" in diameter. Item LmB1589 - $31.99


Carved wooden frog lid, 4 1/2"in dia. Item LmB379a - $25.25	Carved wooden lizard lid, 4 3/4"in dia. Item LmB379b - $25.25

Carved wooden bird lid, 5 1/2" x 4". Item LmB379c - $25.25

Carved wooden bird lid, 5 1/4" x 3 1/2". Item LmB379d - $25.25

Mexico

Colorful fish adorn this large imaginative basket hand made in Mexico. 14" tall and 13" in diameter. Item MxB1957 - $41.99

South America

Venezuela

Yekuana Indians [more about the Yekuana Indians]

Yekuana Women's Baskets or "Wuwas"

These baskets come from the Yekuana tribe who are said to be the best basket weavers in the Amazon region. The vase shape evolved from their burden baskets which are shaped to fit in the curve of a woman's back. The Yekuana women still make burden baskets but also these highly inticate wuwas which are used in the household for many things. They also make beautiful round baskets with lids. Their baskets are of superb craftsmanship, reminiscent of the Cherokee baskets of North America. The baskets are sturdily constructed and use natural dyes to work geometric designs or animal symbols from their mythology into the weaving. Very collectible and rare. More information on the fascinating art of Yekuana basketry may be found in the book "To Weave and Sing".

Yekuana basket weavers from the village of Nichare.


Julia weaving - photo by Hands Around the World	Julia - photo by Hands Around the World.


Elisa- photo by Hands Around the World.	Marciela - photo by Hands Around the World.


13" x 14". Item VzB1081 - $153.75	9 1/2" x 9 1/2". Item VzB1787 - $126.99

XLg. 16 1/2" x 16 1/2". Item VzB1786 - $201.99


10" x 10 1/2" by Juanita Castro. Item VzB1760 - $86.50	8 1/2" x 8 1/2". Item VzB1082 - $131.75


10 1/2" x 7". Item VzB1764 - $90.75	11 1/2" x 11". Item VzB1781 - $100.50


12 1/2" x 11 1/2". Item VzB1756a - $111.50	8 1/2" x 11". Item VzB1768 - $104.75

10 1/2" x 9 1/2". Item VzB1756b - $111.50

Yekuana Men's Baskets or "Wajas"

Flat or tray baskets are made by the men of the Yekuana tribe. Men must design a "family crest" and produce a number of baskets and present them to the woman that they are interested in. Before marriage they must show that they are capable of producing various baskets that a woman will need to use in running a house hold.

The other type basket made by men is the basket box. It is made with the same method as the waja, but is fashioned into a box with a lid. These are generally used to hold a man's ceremonial gear, such as feathers, rattle, and comb. These are increasingly rare as traditional basket making by the men is decreasing.

Yanomamo Indians [more about the Yanomamo Indians]

The Yanomamo (Yah-no-mah-muh) also called Yanomami, and Yanomama, are deep jungle Indians living in the Amazon basin in both Venezuela and Brazil. The Yanomami are believed to be the most primitive, culturally intact people in existence in the world. They are literally a stone age tribe.

The women weave and decorate the baskets. They make both flat baskets and burden baskets which are carried by a strap around the forehead. These they dye with a red berry called onoto which they also use to decorate their bodies and dye their loin cloths. The baskets are then decorated with traditional geometric designs with masticated charcoal pigment. Below are Yanomamo women with a traditional burden baskets.

Penare Indians [more about the Penare Indians]


A Penare woman with her children. The Penare women and girls traditionally wear huge multi-strand bead necklaces in blue and white. The women also wear bracelets, while men and boys wear strands of blue and white beads around their upper arms and on their legs. The infant in this photo is a boy - photo by Hands Around the World.	A Penare man dressed in the traditional woven loin cloth dyed red with the onoto seed. He is standing in front of a traditional palm frond hut and wears the traditional strands of beads around his upper arm - photo by Hands Around the World.

The Penare are one of the few Amazon tribes left that live and dress traditionally. The Penare make a large variety of necklaces with beads, seeds, bone and other natural objects, as well as Venezuelan coins. They also are fine basket weavers. The men traditionally weave the baskets while the women weave and dye cloth and make necklaces.

Flat baskets called "wapa" are woven only by the Penare men. Geometric and animal figures woven into the design denote magical aspects or potential powers.

Guahibo Indians [more about the Guahibo Indians]

Guahibo shaman - photo courtesy of Mary Lou Walberg.

Guahibo Indians (Gwah-hee-boh), also known as Hiwi, live in the Amazon Basin of South America. Both men and women make a variety of handcrafts. The women make dolls from bark and fiber, decorated with seeds. They also weave baskets and hair barrettes using a coil technique with fibers found in the rain forest as well as traditional skirts and dresses with cloth made of pounded palm fibers. The women also make back packs and various kinds of bags using knotting techniques with palm fibers.


This bag is knotted in an extremely fine pattern. The bottom of the bag is made with the coil technique. The bottom is 7 1/2' in diameter. The body of the bag is 10" tall not including the long strap. Item VzB1753 - $48.99	This beautiful little bag is hand knotted. The body of the bag measures 7 1/2" tall and 7" wide. Item VzB1754 - $19.75

This finger knotted bag has an oval coiled bottom that continues up to make stiff sides before the knotting begins. The oval bottom measures 8" x 5 1/2". The knotted part is another 4 inches up to the long strap. Item VzB1755 - $35.25

Warao Indians [more about the Warao Indians]

Warao Indians - photos by Hands Around the World.

The Warao Indians live in the vast delta of the Orinoco River in Venezuela. They are considered very fine basket makers. Their baskets are often lidded with a carrying strap. They also make basket trays. They wrap the fibers around a coil of a palm branch similar to the sweet grass baskets of Afro-Americans in the Charleston, South Carolina area. The baskets are woven using centuries-old skills handed down from mother to daughter. The entire family contributes to the work on the baskets. The men gather the reeds from the marshy areas near the coast. Some reeds are dyed with natural vegetable dyes to add color and pattern. The younger children assist by sorting the reeds, while the older ones assist in gathering, weaving, or dyeing.

Warao Indians basket

Oval Shaped 6 1/2' x 5 1/2", very tightly woven. Item VzB1788 - $64.25

You must see to appreciate the delicate weaving on these tiny Waroa baskets that have a long carrying strap. Photos are shown close to life size for an idea of their actual size.