the beauty of Botswana baskets
As an integral part of Botswana's agricultural culture, baskets have been traditionally made and used for thousands of years: Closed baskets with lids for storing grain and seeds, bowl-shaped baskets for carrying items on the head. The main raw material used to make Botswana baskets is the fiber of the "vegetable ivory" palm (Hyphaene petersiana), called "mokola" in Botswana. For intricate designs, the natural cream-colored palm fiber is combined with the roots or bark of the Motlhakola trees (Euclea divinorun) and Motsentsila (Berchemia discolor) colored in shades of brown. Each basket takes weeks, sometimes even up to six weeks, to complete. And today they are among the most beautiful baskets in the world!
