Mid Century Amazonian Yanomami Indigenous Artisan Woven Gathering Basket 31cm
The Yanomami are indigenous to the Amazonian regions of Brazil and Venezuela. Renowned for their unique, nomadic way of life with distinctive social structure and diverse basketry practises. The Yanomami baskets are woven by women using plentiful natural materials, gathered from the surrounding jungle, like masi trees, lianas trees and bejuco tree fibres. Basket making is part of everyday life, a vital, important role within their community. The baskets are used when foraging for food, hunting, moving camp, fishing, carrying babies, the baskets are an integral part of the lives of the Yanomami.
The natural fabrics woven into the baskets are frequently dyed with onoto and painted with a burnt resin called warapa. The figures and symbols decorating the baskets have numerous meanings with Yanomami culture. A few example include, circles representing humans, jaguar footprints are symbolised by crosses and undulating lines are serpents. The Yanomami baskets are entirely functional objects with a deeply connecting, creative process, for the artisan to express their culture, basically functional art. The baskets serve as a way to preserve the cultural heritage of the Yanomami. The baskets have over time made their way into museums, private collections and homes all over the world.
This particular mid century, woven basket is a gathering basket made of tightly woven natural fibres and originally dyed with onoto to give a rich brown colour (now faded) then further decorated with undulating lines representative of serpents of the Amazonian forrest. The basket has several inner rings for stability and palm leaf straps. Originally, these straps would be placed over the forehead to allow the basket to be carried on the back with two free hands for gathering. This functional, beautiful, mid century basket can be admired, used, displayed and appreciated as a piece of functional art from a rich cultural tradition. This basket comes from a collector, who purchased the baskets whilst travelling through South America in the 1950's. Good vintage condition commensurate with age and handmade nature.
Dimensions are as follows:
Height 31 cm x width 32 cm x thickness 8 mm
