Wickerwork

They say God didn’t make the world out of clay, but plaited it from lianas and raffia palm fiber. If we cast a glance at everything that is plaited in Africa, we can easily believe it. Here, they don’t just plait ordinary baskets, but also the mats they sit or lie down on, as well as fences, house walls, winnowing fans, water pitchers, chicken carrying boxes, bells, fans for fire and for cooling hot meals. In the woods, where cotton won’t grow, they also plait clothes. The Ekoi people of Cameroon have even invented a special plaiting tool – the loom’s younger brother. Overall, plaiting is especially popular in the forest area, and more so, because they have plenty of material for it: tree bark, different trees and, above all, raffia palm from which leaves they pull out strong fiber. The leaves can be simply cut in narrow strips, dried for a short while – and there you have it for your mat weaving. Raffia palm is also referred to as “African bamboo”, and it is used in just as many ways as the Asian bamboo.

The head of the Bamba family starts weaving a new mat.  Cote d'Ivoire. The Kla-Dan. V. F. Vydrin. 2002.		Fronds of raffia palm are slit into bands, then fibers are torn off and twisted into ropes. Kla-Santa. The Kla-Dan. Vydrin V., 2002		Karaka, a bed made of stiff ribs of raffia fronds or bamboo stalks. Mali. Sebekoro. Vydrin V., 1998