Zambia, Southern Africa Makenge Bush Root Baskets

The Weavers

In the Western province of Zambia lies Mongu, not far from the border with Angola. This is where the mostly Mbunda speaking people weave these ruggedly unique baskets. Due to how strong and stiﬀ they are, people often comment that they seem to be made of wood.

The Mbunda people arrived from Angola to this native Lozi tribal area in the late 1700’s. As this region is part of the Zambezi river ﬂood plain, it is incredibly isolated and known to be amongst the poorest regions of Zambia.

Fair Trade After the roots are cut, they are ‘peeled’ and Basket weaving the interior is used inside the basket coils provides the only while the outer part is split to fibers that opportunity for can be wrapped around the coils. Depending these rural on when the roots are harvested in relation women to earn to the rainy season, the baskets can have income to more, or less, of a shine to them. support their Weaving Process children and extended The first day is spent digging roots while the families. They are next three days are used to ‘peel’ and organized as a prepare the fibers. Another day is used to do cooperative and the dying. All of the colors are made from work together to roots or leaves boiled along with the manage their Makenge fibers. The fibers are then left to small weaving group of around 12 women. dry for at least a day and are re-wet as the women then spend several days weaving About Makenge each basket. Makenge are large bushes that grow throughout the Mongu region anywhere near water. They send out long, shallow roots that the weavers can dig up easily from the sandy soil.

They cut oﬀ the last 2/3rds of the root and at each place they cut, the bush regenerates 2 new ones. The roots can grow up to 3 feet a month , so it doesn’t harm the bushes and makes for a long term sustainable source of weaving materials.