Binga Tonga Basket wall decor African Art Zimbabwe 22½" #92

Description

Size 22½" across.  4'' deep.   A shallow basket that displays so nice on a wall.     The cluster in last picture is on the wall above my computer.
Excellent decorator value - a row over a bed or table or window or anywhere.  Cluster on a wall.  So nice in any room.
Two pictures show a rare un-finished basket - shows the work involved.  And one of my many favorite memories of rural Zimbabwe.  I saw this woman sitting by her rondoval (round mud hut) weaving a basket - she spoke very little English  and could not understand my wanting this basket.  When I handed her the same amount a finished basket sold for and gently tugged the un-finished out of her hands - she understood and had a smile that brightened up my life.  She ran over to a friends rondoval and another woman emerged with a similar partial basket and similar smile.  I was only able to obtain a few baskets this way as the women are deep in the background in rural Africa.
These baskets are rapidly disappearing. In 2013 I spent several months in South Africa and the curio sellers were all out of these baskets. Only a few years ago they were plentiful. Zimbabwe is/has been having huge economic problems. They have abandoned their currency and gone to the US dollar - making everything much more expensive.
Often called a Binga Basket as they mostly come from the Binga area in Northern Zimbabwe. Properly called a Tonga Basket as they are made by the Tonga Tribe. A basket this size takes many hours to make.
A vanishing art for many good reasons. Classic African woman's art, lovely and the pride is evident in every piece, yet "value" is low as African males have little respect for women's work.. Each basket is a unique free form piece of art. I liked them so much I brought back over 900. Each personally selected from the Binga Craft Center and vendors along the road. (Binga is a small town 90 K dead end down a tiny 2 lane road, ending at lake Kariba the North border with Zambia) Great decorator item, a row over a bed or a cluster on a wall. Incredible decorator art value.
Lots of great info on the web, also much higher prices and silly shipping. Check my other baskets listed in my store catagory AFRICAN ART (left side this page).
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