Waja Basket
Waja basket woven from Yuca fiber, donated in a set with 119.020 & 119.021. Made by the Makiritare, aka Ye'Kuana people of Venezuela-Amazonian indigenous people. Shallow, slightly concave basket with geometric or theriomorphic woven designs. A looped string is attached at the top of the rim of the basket. This basket features a water snake design woven in with tan and black fibers, of the winding snake boxed within the geometric patterns surrounding this central snake design.
- Object: Waja Basket
- Artist: -
- Circa: -
- Dimensions: 12" D x 12" W x 2" H
- Culture Area: South America / Venezuela / Amazon
- Cultural Group: Makiritare (Ye'Kuana)
- Cultural Context: Shallow, slightly concave baskets with geometric or theriomorphic woven designs, represent different aspects of a Makiritare oral tradition related to the production of cassava, which is their primary food source. Because cassava contains deadly prussic acid, it requires time consuming and labor intensive processing for it to be edible. The oral tradition recounts how the Makiritare received the skill of basketweaving and with it, the ability to control poison. Waju baskets are only woven by men, who are not considered mature enough for marriage until they have mastered the weaving technique.
- Donor: Anonymous
- Catalog #: 119.022