Tonga Basket

Northern Zimbabwe and Southern Zambia

12 3/4 inches in diameter

Collected in Zimbabwe in 1992

$ 115

Inv. # B1078

Tonga baskets are made from grass, reeds, itala palms and tree bark dye. Originally from the town of Binga, these baskets were used for winnowing grain. The basket starts out with a square center and end up round. The edging is known as snake belly because the patterns resemble scales of a snake. There are many designs such as the spider motif, lightning patterns and butterflies.