Ye’kuana Basket

The Ye’kuana (also referred to as Makiritare) are an indigenous group living in the tropical forest of the Orinoco Basin in southern Venezuela and a small part of northern Brazil.  Although estimates vary, the Ye’kuana population is likely fewer than 5,000 people.  With their name meaning “canoe people,” the Ye’kuana rely heavily on the river system for transportation and food.  They are also known for their accomplishments in basketry.

While most baskets are made by men, hourglass-shaped carrying baskets like this one, known as wuwa, are woven by women.  The baskets serve as all-purpose containers, used to carry food, firewood, and other heavy items.  Women carry the loads using a bark strip across their foreheads that is attached to the rim of the basket.  Women decorate the baskets with figures of animals and birds that, according to their mythology, offer protection and well-being for the users of the basket.  The images, which remain in people’s presence through the basket’s daily use, reinforce the protective powers of the creatures.  This basket was made for sale, at a somewhat smaller size than a traditional wuwa, demonstrating how Ye’kuana women have turned this utilitarian item into an economic benefit.