Rwanda Sisal Coil Weave Bowl

Weaving Baskets in Rwanda

In Rwanda, “the land of a thousand hills”, weavers from many tribes, including the recently warring Hutus and Tutsis, create sisal bowl baskets as symbols of peace, reconciliation, self- reliance and hope.

Purchase of these baskets helps Rwandan women to feed and educate their children and gain access to healthcare, promoting sustainable peace throughout this war-torn region.

Sisal Bowls

Natural materials for these baskets have been hand gathered or cultivated by the weavers. The inside of the coils consists of native grasses. Sisal fiber is then finely stitched on the outside of the coil. The Sisal plant, a species of Agave and close relative of the Yucca plant of the American Southwest, grows wild throughout Rwanda. Up to 1,000 fibers are stripped out of the sword-shaped leaves by pushing the leaf between a metal can and piece of wood to remove the pulp.  The fine fibers that remain are then spun into long threads, and hand-woven using traditional patterns interpreted in modern colors.

Coil weaving is the most difficult type of basket weaving. Sisal fibers are wrapped and stitched over a coil of grass. Controlling the thickness and evenness of the coils takes years of practice. As a bowl get larger, it takes exponentially more time to expand in diameter. The coils on each row become much longer as the bowl flares upwards and outwards. Adding an inch in diameter at the top of a basket could actually take as long or longer than the first several inches as the base of the basket.

Each basket has a loop on the back, making it easy to hang on a wall-create your own wall art by selecting a collection to display in any space. As with fine art, keep these baskets dry and out of direct UV light.

Agaseke Peace Baskets

These are a type of lidded basket, hand-woven using natural native grasses, reeds, and sisal fibers. Baskets are such a powerful symbol of Rwanda’s fresh start that an Agaseke Peace Basket is included at the center of the country’s coat of arms, and is also featured on Rwanda’s 5,000 Franc banknote. Rural weavers in Rwanda of all tribes, including Hutus and Tutsis, work side by side to produce these unique baskets.