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Origins of Zulu Ilala Palm Baskets
Zulus have been weaving baskets for centuries. Up until 1800 Zulu men did the weaving. However European Colonial contact changed that when men were forced to work in the mines and women had to learn to weave and did so producing items for day to day use until about 1920. Then as outside utensils ( cups, containers, pans) found their way to the most remote regions of Zulu lan...[Read More]
Zulu Baskets – A natural touch of colour
Zulu Baskets are made using Ilala palm which grows along the North Eastern coast of Kwa Zulu Natal. Once cut and dried, the leaf is then prepared for weaving into fine, often watertight, baskets. The natural shade of the Ilala palm is cream and all other colours are obtained by boiling roots, berries, leaves and the bark of indigenous flora. Many are seasonal. Brown/Black (I...[Read More]