Tonga Basket

Tonga Basket #4

NW Zimbabwe

Collected in Zimbabwe in the early 1990’s Ex: New Mexico collection

17 1/2 inches diameter

$ 130

Inv. # B1076

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.