Tonga basket, Zimbabwe, woven from creeper vines, palm leaves and wild grasses.  www.gallerytribalart.com

Tonga Basket #7

NW Zimbabwe

Collected in Zimbabwe 1992

19 inches diameter

$ 150

Inv. # B1090

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.

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Tonga Basket 5

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Buhera Basket 2