Ukhamba is the name given to the basket traditionally used by the Zulu people to make and store their ceremonial beers. The baskets are handwoven of Ilala Palm leaves which swell when they are wet. These baskets become tight when soaked, allowing them to be used for the tribal "home brews". We personally don't advise that for what we consider a piece of art, but I have had to soak one or two for the purpose of reshaping them, and they did hold water and it did not hurt them a bit. The Zulu weavers take much time and care to weave beautiful designs and colors into their baskets. Each basket's geometric design traditionally tells a story about the weaver. Each basket comes with a tag describing the various designs and their meanings as well as the dye ingredients. Today many artisans choose to eliminate their story and simply create beautiful designs to please the collectors' eyes.
Traditional Zulu Beer Baskets have long been considered some of the most beautiful and colorful baskets made by any peoples. These hand-crafted baskets are made by the women of Zululand, South Africa, and have become a popular source of second incomes for the families while at the same time reviving a nearly lost tradition. The young women are taught the age-old art of weaving and often make their own "marriage basket."
Do they really use the baskets for beer? Yes. The Zulu people have traditionally made a ceremonial sorghum beer that they store in these baskets. Because of the tightness of the weave and the swelling properties of the Ilala Palm fronds used, these rigid baskets are watertight. Smaller beer baskets can be used for canisters for storing food items like grains, nuts, or beans, among other things. Larger baskets, like the marriage basket, are often used to store dry goods, like clothing and bedding.
African Zulu Baskets
Traditional Zulu Weaving Patterns
Diamond = Female
Two Diamonds placed one above the other indicates a married woman.
Triangle = Male
Two Triangles, forming an hour-glass shape indicates a married man.
All Zulu patterns incorporate some variation of these patterns. Sharp triangles (or zig zag) woven right around a basket signifies "Assagais of Shaka" or a married man. Variations of diamonds woven around a basket signifies "Shields of Shaka" or a feminine basket. These two are very often combined to show family ownership. Baskets used for storage of dried goods, like nuts, beans, herbs, etc., are "family" baskets. Very often each member of the family has his or her own basket in which personal itemse are kept. Many families also have personal family patterns and colors incorporated into all of their baskets.
Some Colors and Dye Ingredients:
Ububende (brown): Palm leaves are placed into muddy soil and kept moist for up to one week.
Mxuba (Khaki-green) Palm leaves soaked in a khaki-brown cow dung and water.
Omniyama (Black) First precolored in river mud, then boiled for eight hours in a mixture of water and leaves from a small bushy tree named Umbugue.
Ubukhwebezane (Lilac) Leaves of a shrub crushed and boiled with palm for one hour.
Bomvu (Pale Red) Leaves of tall shrub-species of the Mphekambethu and bark of the Mgwneya tree crushed together and boiled with palm for two days.
Ilala Weavers is situated at Hluhluwe within the province of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The organization was established some 30 years ago, with a clear vision and objective of revitalizing and enhancing the age-old Zulu tradition of handcrafts, which at the time were in danger of being lost forever.
Today, Ilala Weavers helps over 2000 Zulu people, both men and women, to attain self sufficiency, by working from their homes and therefore retaining their lifestyle and rich heritage of basket weaving and bead work, which has been passed down through the generations by Zulu crafters, whose modern counterparts today produce stunning works of art, sought after the world over.
KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
Phone: 1-406-250-8544 
email: contact@firstchoicedecor.com
email: contact@firstchoicedecor.com
