Description
The Pot design, also called Gambigo basket, is handwoven out of elephant grass from Bolga,Ghana. The baskets are hand-woven in small villages using traditions passed down from generation to generation. They are woven out of renewable resources, including banana leaf and elephant grass, which grow abundantly in the region. The pot design is much more difficult to weave than the round market baskets, and truly showcases the weaving skills of the artisans. Basket is washable and collapsible. The leather on the handle is made from goat skin and softened with shea butter. No two are exactly alike. For baskets with colors, color schemes will vary and may contain a pop of bright colors. Natural color may also have color variations due to the natural coloring of the grass. Baskets are shipped flat and require reshaping. Completely wet the basket in your bathtub or a large utility sink. Once it is saturated, shape it, putting something heavy in it to hold the shape you want, and let it dry. The Story Behind the Art: The Gitzelli artisans work in Kenya and Ghana to weave beautiful, traditional baskets in many designs and colors. Artisans live in low income areas and make their living off selling their crafts or taking daily temporary labor for minimum wage. In Kenya, the artisans come from wide parts of the country. Most weavers come from the Eastern region where the climate is dry and conducive to the production of the sisal -- this is their main source of income. In Central Kenya, most artisans have small pieces of land where they practice subsistence farming. They subsidize their income through weaving products with banana leaf. Gitzelli Imports has helped connect these artisans to bigger markets and enhance their low income.
