The kiondo basket is indigenous to the Kamba, Kikuyu and Taita communities of Kenya. Historically, women weaved baskets to serve in transporting or storing the harvest. Africa is an agricultural continent, and the basket first found its significance in support of this activity. But beyond agriculture, baskets were woven for other uses like storing food, shopping, or as gifts. These baskets were made of different kinds of indigenous fibrous plants, from which rope was produced to weave into baskets. Red ocre, a color available from plant bark and used to colour clothes as well, was one of the colouring options used by traditional weavers.
Sisal was first introduced to East Africa in 1893. Fast forward to post-colonial Kenya and in places like Thika and Murang'a, Sisal was quickly taken over by other cash crops (like coffee), . But kiondo remained in the sisal-rich areas like Ukambani which is how this basket became most popularly associated with the Kamba community from which Mueni hails.
In Mueni's words, "Our people are craftsmen and women. The weaving is a tradition that is respected to this day. The kamba kiondo is a household item that is an absolute necessity. It is used to carry mostly food. Every woman has one. When a girl is married she is given kiondo by her mother and other mature women. They don't just hand it over..it is ceremonially put on her back and she is instructed on how to it. At every wedding ceremony the Kiondo is a significant gift."
When working with sisal to weave a basket, the weavers begin by stripping the sisal plant’s outer layers, selecting the threads from the pale-colored layers that have dried out for a day, to make a bag. Based on a selected design, the weaver boils the threads to be used with water and dye to set the bag’s colors. Weaving is the next stage in the process. Two single threads are twined to form one strong thread. Many strong threads form the shape, size and design of the sisal bag.
In more recent days people have began to experiment with other materials - from wool, plastic fibre, evolving the kiondo into all kinds of shades, colours and types…and giving the kiondo a place in modern society in many forms. Indeed, kiondo baskets have found their way all around the world - for use in all kinds of different spaces and for all manner of uses. But they were first created in Kenya, and we celebrate this heritage.
Mueni is now passing on the craft on to her own daughter who will join a handicraft heritage that is now being celebrated all around the world. What does Mueni have to say about the process of teaching her daughter the craft? "She's a good learner. This is an art that is perfected with time and patience and she has learned this."
Comments