The story

Makenge Baskets are hand woven by the Mbunda women of the Upper Zambezi River region of Zambia in southeastern Africa. Roots are gathered from the Makenge bush, boiled until soft and then woven into these beautiful baskets. The procedure has remained the same for many generations. Only the small roots are gathered, so the bush remains alive to produce more for the future. The women create their own natural dyes by boiling leaves. Each woman will decorate her baskets according to her own taste and tradition.

Each basket is unique and takes one or more months to create.The baskets are used in daily life.

Every basket is unique and the pattern may be different with the photos.

We have found some unique old pieces, each basket has been repaired for continued use and clearly shows years of service. They are an incredible testament to weaving skills of the Mbunda of Zambia.