Art and Design A comprehensive guide for creative artists - Aaltodoc

Different types of
coiled baskets
offering evidence
of indigenous
knowledge
A: Woven with
grass straw and
dyed sisal.
B: A tightly sewn
basket—for storing
food; made with
natural straw and
banana fibers.
C: Woven with
dyed raffia and
soft splits of cane.
Uses of weaving
As Somjee (1993, 79) has remarked, “The large size kidasi ...
is used for carrying maize, vegetables and flour. And the
small sizes are used to keep and to carry little personal
belongings of women.” In view of all these, let us learn more
about uses of weaving:
• Weaving can be used to organise large groups of
people for social activities in schools.
• By carrying out weaving, we hold back from some
habits of frustrations and boredom.
• Weaving is a source of income. Fabrics, mats, nets,
trays, baskets and hats can be woven for sale.
• Most importantly, fabrics woven cover or shield
our bodies from bad weather. As a result, we attain
a health living.
• Weaving is a significance of fashion; it is the origin
of utility bags and textiles. Generally, such woven
items are also made to depict popular trends.
• Woven fences are used for protection and to
prevent escape, it also provides wall supports for
home shelters.
• It is a well-liked hobby.
Functional handiwork of weaving
There are very many functional items that are skilfully made
by interlacing soft fibres as materials—to make a weave.
“Their shapes are influenced by their functions and the
materials that are available to the community” Somjee
(1993, 85) adds.
Here are some notable examples of woven handiwork:
Mat or Kiwempe/omukeeka from Ganda language (in
Uganda) and “mkeka” by Swahili people from Kenya.
Mats are skilfully woven for different special purposes. Some
common types of mats are customary made by using dried
dyed palm leaves. Other materials include:
Papyrus Bamboo Sisal Small sticks
Wood Reeds or rushes Animal skin Tree bark
Banana Slits of cotton Drinking Straw and
fibers fabrics straws grass
In spite of that, mats have a wide range of utility purposes.
For example;
• Protecting a table or floor surface
• Wiping dirty feet in front of a doorway
• It can also be used to display ostentation used for
decorating home interiors.
• Mats are good for resting, lying and sitting.
A considerable number of mats are craftily woven by tying,
threading and plaiting in accordance with traditional
common weaving methods. Most mats, such as those
locally made with palm leaves are woven in various series
of steps. Maiti (2004, 125) adds, “... plaits are made separately
and then sewn into the required shape in such a way that
the joint does not show.” This type of weaving is different
from weaving done on wooden frames to make carpets and
tapestry as well as textiles.
Baskets are many, they exist for different purposes, sizes
and they are woven with different materials. Some are
made for storing and carrying food, gifts as well as taking
them for shopping. As an example there is a type of basket
commonly known as kiondo. Somjee (1993, 86) asserts,
“Traditionally, the kiondo was made from roots and barks of
tress. Later, it was made from sisal and plastic strings.”
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