Lovely Shape Triangle Pattern African Zulu Beer Basket

The Zulus are the largest tribe in Southern Africa, renowned for their artistry and craftsmanship. Many women make beautiful baskets using traditional art forms in order to supplement their incomes. For many this is their only means of support. Women work in their homes, assimilating basket weaving into their normal routines permitting them to raise their children, work in the fields, collect water or do other daily chores. Indigenous raw materials are used in making these hand-woven baskets. It can take up to a month to produce a medium-sized basket with its own unique size, shape and design. Each piece is a true collector's item.

We work with several collectives in South Africa that are helping women and HIV affected individuals to become financially self-sufficient.

Small traditional Zulu herb containers are used to hold culinary and medicinal herbs. Baskets made for holding herbs have a looser weave to allow the herbs to dry, while those made to hold fluids have a tighter weave. Zulu beer is made by allowing maize (corn) to soak in water in a covered basket until it is fermented. The beer is then wrung through a flexible basket and the grain is then given to the domesticated guinea hens. It is quite funny to watch the drunken hens wobble around. oh, and by the way, the beer is very tasty too.