AN INTRODUCTION TO THE HISTORY OF BASKET WEAVING IN AUSTRALIA
Basket making is a craft which is almost as old as the human race itself. All cultures around the world have a history in the construction of practical objects using plant materials, whether it be for hunting; nets and eel traps, shelter, storage of gathered foods or carrying bags. Before ceramics had even been thought of, people were able to cook food in a basket, not over a fire, but by adding hot stones from a fire to boil water in basket. As you can imagine the basket would need to have been very tightly woven to be able to retain water!
Whichever culture you study, the style and construction of a basket relates to the materials on hand. Palm leaves and cane in tropical areas, bamboo in Asian countries, willow in European countries, grasses and rushes in America. Different methods of basket making developed to suit the nature of plant material, stitching and coiling for grasses and rushes or weaving around a frame for woody materials.
Australian weaving history:
The plant materials suitable for weaving which we have in Australia are the long and strappy leaves of grasses and rushes. Aboriginal cultures had a wide variety of methods, string bags, eel traps, coiled baskets, even children’s toys. The Melbourne Museum has a fantastic display of these.
With European settlement though, knowledge of weaving was based on European plants such as woody willow. Cane had also been introduced to Europe, so this material which was imported from Indonesia being familiar to the Europeans is what was used for basket making in Australia. Basketmaking was taught in schools and used as occupational therapy in hospitals. It was regarded as a useful skill to learn, but of course with plastics to use for containers becoming ever more popular the usefulness and interest declined. So much more effort is needed to harvest the plants, prepare them and weave them into a basket than to purchase a plastic container.
In the 1960’s and 70’s a craft counterculture emerged in America and Europe. Craft became an ideology, a material practice and a lifestyle. The skills of using thread, rope, string, felt and fabric moved from the “low” world of craft to the “high” world of art.
In 1981 a American fibre artist called Douglas Fuchs arrived in Australia on a Crafts Council Fellowship, his influence was to be of highly significant to Australian fibre arts. He had learnt his weaving skills from indigenous American basket weavers and was keen to do the same here, spending time in Arnhem land and learning from indigenous Australians. The culmination of his work was an exhibition tilted ‘Floating Forest’. It was an eye opener; he had used Australian native plants and our indigenous techniques to create an immense sculptural work. Symposium Floating Forest in Ararat 30 years on
Australian indigenous weavers and settler cultures found they had a connection. Fuchs stimulated weavers such as Virginia Kaiser to develop their craft skills into art forms to be exhibited in galleries. For indigenous weavers, such as Yvonne Koolmatrie, with this recognition they were encouraged to revive the weaving skills of their ancestors.
Today each state has a Basket weaving group, in Victoria it is the Basket makers of Victoria. They hold exhibitions, workshops and maintain resources; it is their aim to foster the skills and knowledge of basketry for anyone keen to learn.
Whichever culture you study, the style and construction of a basket relates to the materials on hand. Palm leaves and cane in tropical areas, bamboo in Asian countries, willow in European countries, grasses and rushes in America. Different methods of basket making developed to suit the nature of plant material, stitching and coiling for grasses and rushes or weaving around a frame for woody materials.
Australian weaving history:
The plant materials suitable for weaving which we have in Australia are the long and strappy leaves of grasses and rushes. Aboriginal cultures had a wide variety of methods, string bags, eel traps, coiled baskets, even children’s toys. The Melbourne Museum has a fantastic display of these.
With European settlement though, knowledge of weaving was based on European plants such as woody willow. Cane had also been introduced to Europe, so this material which was imported from Indonesia being familiar to the Europeans is what was used for basket making in Australia. Basketmaking was taught in schools and used as occupational therapy in hospitals. It was regarded as a useful skill to learn, but of course with plastics to use for containers becoming ever more popular the usefulness and interest declined. So much more effort is needed to harvest the plants, prepare them and weave them into a basket than to purchase a plastic container.
In the 1960’s and 70’s a craft counterculture emerged in America and Europe. Craft became an ideology, a material practice and a lifestyle. The skills of using thread, rope, string, felt and fabric moved from the “low” world of craft to the “high” world of art.
In 1981 a American fibre artist called Douglas Fuchs arrived in Australia on a Crafts Council Fellowship, his influence was to be of highly significant to Australian fibre arts. He had learnt his weaving skills from indigenous American basket weavers and was keen to do the same here, spending time in Arnhem land and learning from indigenous Australians. The culmination of his work was an exhibition tilted ‘Floating Forest’. It was an eye opener; he had used Australian native plants and our indigenous techniques to create an immense sculptural work. Symposium Floating Forest in Ararat 30 years on
Australian indigenous weavers and settler cultures found they had a connection. Fuchs stimulated weavers such as Virginia Kaiser to develop their craft skills into art forms to be exhibited in galleries. For indigenous weavers, such as Yvonne Koolmatrie, with this recognition they were encouraged to revive the weaving skills of their ancestors.
Today each state has a Basket weaving group, in Victoria it is the Basket makers of Victoria. They hold exhibitions, workshops and maintain resources; it is their aim to foster the skills and knowledge of basketry for anyone keen to learn.