• Latest
  • Trending

The Basket Weavers of Alavala

April 1, 2013
Auto Draft

Poson Poya

June 9, 2022
Seasonal Fruities in Our Island Nation

Seasonal Fruities in Our Island Nation

June 9, 2022
Poson and the Mihintale Season

Poson and the Mihintale Season

June 9, 2022
Wine, Hiking & Well-Being

Wine, Hiking & Well-Being

June 8, 2022
Behind the Scenes Green Chefs

Behind the Scenes Green Chefs

June 8, 2022
THE LOOM IS HER GURU

THE LOOM IS HER GURU

May 17, 2022
The Glory of Vesak and The Teaching of Buddha

The Glory of Vesak and The Teaching of Buddha

May 17, 2022
Juicy Tropical Treats: Star Fruits

Juicy Tropical Treats: Star Fruits

May 17, 2022
VISION CARE CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF REVOLUTIONIZING SRI LANKA’S EYE CARE INDUSTRY

VISION CARE CELEBRATES 30 YEARS OF REVOLUTIONIZING SRI LANKA’S EYE CARE INDUSTRY

May 13, 2022
Chilling in Arugambay

Chilling in Arugambay

May 13, 2022
MINISTRY OF CRAB RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF ASIA’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS FOR THE EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR 

MINISTRY OF CRAB RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF ASIA’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS FOR THE EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR 

May 17, 2022
Safilo Group hosts ‘Buying Day’ marking Carrera’s 65 years of Design and Quality

Safilo Group hosts ‘Buying Day’ marking Carrera’s 65 years of Design and Quality

May 14, 2022
Retail
Monday, July 4, 2022
Subscription
Advertise
  • Home
  • Issues
    • 2022
      • January 2022
      • February 2022
      • March 2022
      • April 2022
      • May 2022
      • June 2022
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Archive
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result

The Basket Weavers of Alavala

by
in Entwine, Features, Slider
0 0
0
A woman weaving a bamboo reed strip through the stiff frame
A woman weaving a bamboo reed strip through the stiff frame

The hands wove in and out, quick and precise, guiding a strip of bamboo reed along the frame. Soon a basket took shape and the weaver held it at arms length to examine his handy work. Seemingly satisfied he tossed it to the growing pile of baskets in the small sandy garden in front of his house. 

Words Krishani Peiris  Photographs Damith Wickramasinghe

Basketry in Sri Lanka runs back to many centuries and was identified as a caste-based craft. During these olden times, the use of baskets were regarded to be more utilitarian than decorative and certain areas or villages were dedicated towards the art of basket making. However, through times, this has changed and the basket weaving culture of Sri Lanka has embraced all decorative as well as utilitarian purposes while a commercial element has been added to present a lucrative market for the weavers.

Though the practices of ancient Sri Lanka has scattered now, there are still some villages where many families are employed in the traditional craft. One such village is Alavala, located in the Gampaha District. It is believed that about 80 to 90 percent of the families living in this village specialise in making bamboo reed baskets to be used in the exportation of betel leaves to Pakistan. Though the beginning of this industry in the village is shrouded in mystery, the villagers credit a man named Adiris for the start of this industry. Apparently he has first commenced this industry by cutting and shipping bamboo reeds to other locations in the country. However, as time passed on, basketry was introduced and the natives of Alavala believe that the village has been involved in basket making for more than 60 years.

If asked about how they obtain the bamboo reeds nowadays, many villagers would not be able to resist first recalling how they used to go into the forest areas located nearby in search of bamboo reeds. Many would reminisce the hardships of prowling through dense thickets as thorns and branches scraped their feet and hands. However, now due to the depletion and restrictions in carrying bamboo reeds, villagers buy reeds from sellers that obtain stocks from far away places such as Ratnapura and Girimale.

In order to commence weaving, first a reed is slit into four to six stakes where some are made thicker and slender than others in order to make the sturdy frame. A sharp knife is used in the process and the villagers stress the importance of being careful as the newly slit bamboo stakes have sharp edges that could easily injure one’s hand. From the remaining stakes, the bark is scraped off and the stakes are further slit into thinner strips. Thin strips are deemed easier to weave and as they weigh less, it is also considered to be more economical. A completed basket should weigh around 400g.

After slitting the reeds, a piece of paper with a circle – 14 inch in diametre – drawn in the middle, is used to make the frame as one quickly and deftly arranges and assembles the thicker stakes using the circle as a guide. Another stake is then snaked around creating a circular base after which the protruding ends are bent to form the outer frame. Next the long strips are woven, from bottom up, through the frame and as a final touch a lid is also made to complete the basket. The height of the finished basket is about nine and a half inches.

Simple and unadorned the baskets may be, they showcase the time and dedication of a group of people…

One basket weaver makes at least 15 baskets each day and buyers cruise the area everyday picking up the finished lots from the villagers. At times even the children help out with small tasks such as making the frame of a basket – after school – as they are keen on aiding and learning this fascinating art. However, during the time of Ramazan, the demand for the baskets is less and the villagers take this as an opportunity to make more baskets so that when the time comes they would be able to sell more.

Simple and unadorned the baskets may be, they showcase the time and dedication of a group of people that has made these betel leaf baskets their main livelihood. Therefore, the basket that the Alavala basket makers weave, are intricate yet simple, reflecting their way of life that continues to flow onwards amidst times of  happiness and hardship alike.

[nggallery id=532]

TweetShareShare

Search

No Result
View All Result

Recent News

Auto Draft

Poson Poya

Seasonal Fruities in Our Island Nation

Seasonal Fruities in Our Island Nation

Poson and the Mihintale Season

Poson and the Mihintale Season

Explore Sri Lanka

Explore Sri Lanka Online, the web edition of Sri Lanka’s leading monthly corporate publication. Founded in 1996, the magazine currently has a distribution of over 6,000 copies island-wide.

Recent News

  • Poson Poya
  • Seasonal Fruities in Our Island Nation
  • Poson and the Mihintale Season

Find Us

Address : BT Options 536,
R. A. De Mel Mawatha,
Colombo 03,
Sri Lanka
(+94 11) 259 7991
(+94) 715 134 134
info@btoptions.com
btoptions.com

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 Explore Sri Lanka | Designed by Lithic Labs

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Issues
    • 2022
      • January 2022
      • February 2022
      • March 2022
      • April 2022
      • May 2022
      • June 2022
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Archive

© 2022 Explore Sri Lanka | Designed by Lithic Labs

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In