The Basketry Exhibition

It is of great significance to value culture as a whole and all its essentials so as to cultivate a wider appreciation for the work of basket makers whose work is acknowledged as of outstanding cultural and artistic significance in their respective communities or traditions.

Tonga female basket makers will showcase their commodities at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe at an exhibition opening soon with the help of Kunzwana Trust.

Kunzwana is a Zimbabwean non-governmental women’s association which has adopted a duty to economically empower women and youth from rural culture through the provision of practical skills training in a variety of skills for income generation and self-sustenance.

The work of basket makers is honoured as National Heritage and Kunzwana Trust is seeking to develop their economic characteristics.

To showcase the significant contributions that the emerging associations of basket makers are making to the revitalization of basketry, Kunzwana Trust seeks to promote and facilitate the social, economic, educational and cultural advancement of the disadvantaged unemployed rural women.

This is done to encourage transitioning from craft to utility and ensuring that baskets weavers understand the intrinsic value of their craft.

The opening of the Kunzwana Cultural Advancement Woman Exhibition is going to coincide with the United Nations International Day of Peace on the 24September.

This exhibition has focused on social cohesiveness which is enriched when woman are involved in purposeful economic activities. Kunzwana Trust places emphasis on livelihoods. Kunzwana Trust provides social cohesion which leads to peace

The International Day of Peace is observed around the world each year. The United Nations General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations.

The group of women which is going to exhibit is Chilelema and it comprises 12 women from a village of the same name in Binga.

The basketry exhibition will raise awareness about the inter-relationship of basketry to other tribal cultural heritage associated with ceremonies, language, stories, and other practices and it helps in moving away the clichés of poverty among the Tonga people.

It will also raise awareness among the people of not only the vital presence of long-standing and extraordinary artistic expressions but also of the very presence of the large people.

The basketry exhibition becomes necessary to strengthen the market value of indigenous hand made art in order to make basket making a more economically viable occupation or avocation.

The exhibition aims to highlight the importance of all segments of society to work together to strive for peace and show the essence of non-governmental organisations that are needed to support the organisation in achieving the future of different people.

Basketry exhibitions help to strengthen basket makers networks as they make new contacts, putting names to faces and meet with new clients, hence they gain support from different people who would want to buy their wares.

The exhibition focuses on the artistry behind each basket, but also focuses on the importance of the Tonga basket weaving tradition, the meanings behind various patterns and designs, and the natural materials used to create these objects of utility and beauty.

The Kunzwana basketry exhibition will stimulate increased involvement by the Tonga people in the acquisition and maintenance of the skills and knowledge associated with basketry and modern woven items which will be on display. This would raise public awareness of the new, innovative and dynamic work being produced by rural women artists on an ongoing basis.

In the process of the exhibition it is significant to raise public awareness about the critical, yet fragile inter-relationship of basketry and natural resources, including issues of access to resources and eradication of resources due primarily to human encroachment as some woman are naturally underrated.