Notes

Dipethego Mamusi was born in Danega and has lived there all of her life. Her mother taught her how to weave, and she knows how to make open bowl-shaped baskets, closed-lidded baskets and bracelets – all made from palm leaves. She weaves the whole day if not occupied with other tasks. Mamusi feels that making baskets continues the culture of her people, saying: ‘We have seen these baskets made by our mothers and grandmothers. The younger generation have taken up the art of basket making because they can make money and save their culture.’

This very unusual design of tree branches, which evokes the prints of M.C. Escher, has not been seen in any other basket. This basket was one of the winners in the national competition held in 1993 at the Botswana National Museum and Art Gallery, organised and run as a silent auction by Andy McGregor. The start of the basket uses the checkerwork weave where the warp and the weft elements are interwoven over-one-under-one. The body of the basket is made by coiling over one row, while catching the previous row, with a small ‘stitch’. The tree bark of Berchemia discolor is used to dye the palm leaves a red-brown colour.

- Dr Elizabeth Terry

Provenance

Dr Elizabeth Terry Collection.