Rwandan Basket Weaving

The agaseke is a lidded basket woven from sisal and sweet grass in tight coils, traditionally given as a gift signalling trust and used to carry things of value, and its conical lid has become a national emblem, appearing on the country's coat of arms. Weaving is done overwhelmingly by women, and in the decades since 1994 it has been organised into cooperatives that brought together women from every part of the society and became one of the more visible vehicles for economic recovery in rural areas. Visitors can sit with weavers, watch the coiling and stitching, attempt it themselves, and buy directly. Patterns and dye colours vary by region, and a good weaver will explain what a given design signifies.

What you actually see

• A weaving cooperative - watching the coiling and stitching, and trying it.
• The agaseke form - the lidded conical basket that became the national emblem.
• Regional patterns - designs and dye colours that differ across the country.
• Kigali craft markets - where cooperative work is sold in the city.

When to go

Any time of year. Visits are arranged through cooperatives or Kigali craft shops that work with them, usually with a day's notice. Mornings are when most weaving groups gather.

Honest expectations

Quality and price vary enormously, and market stalls sell machine-influenced or imported imitations alongside genuine cooperative work; buying at the source is both cheaper and more certain. A cooperative visit is a scheduled encounter rather than a spontaneous one, and it works best with a translator. Ask before photographing weavers.

Nearby

Kigali's craft markets and the Nyamirambo women's centre are in the capital.