Description
Swazi Lutindzsi Grass Basket
These baskets are woven by a group of over 700 rural women in the mountains of Swaziland.
Their aim is to create innovative contemporary designs using traditional hand skills and locally sustainable raw materials.
The women, many of whom are grandmothers, work from home enabling them to maintain a traditional lifestyle
and to care for their own children, and many vulnerable or orphaned children within their community.
The material used for this basket is Lutindzsi Grass which is a strong wiry sedge grass that grows wild on the
rocky outcrops in the mountains of Swaziland.
Traditionally harvested once a year, the grass is sustainably picked from above the roots.
Cattle do not eat the grass as it is very tough.
Lutindzsi grass has a very waxy finish which makes it water and stain resistant so it is an excellent
material for these durable baskets.
The grasses are then dyed in fuel-efficient vats, transforming them into an array of beautiful colours.
The women weave from home which gives them the freedom to balance their family and work life as they choose.
Sometimes the women work in groups, sharing the care of their young children.
The women use unique hand skills and are exceptionally talented,
utilizing different techniques of stitching, weaving, and plaiting to produce magical patterns for these unique products.
The purchase of this basket creates a sustainable impact in rural Swaziland communities by bringing wellness,
education, and community development services to women artisans, complementing their income generation.