Agaseke, is a beautiful Rwandan handcrafted basket that has been a part of the country’s culture for centuries. The baskets are woven from natural raw materials like sisal fibres, sweet grass, banana leaves and raffia.
Rwandan women are taught how to weave the baskets from their mothers and grandmothers, carrying on a tradition that has been passed down from one generation to another.
The baskets are symbolic gifts in Rwandan marriages. For many years, a bride’s family would present agaseke baskets to the groom. The lid of the agaseke basket symbolised that the girl was untouched and was giving herself to her husband for the first time.
The groom’s family would also present the bride with an agaseke basket to symbolise that she would now keep her husband’s family’s secrets. The basket would be kept in her room.
The baskets are also used to store grains and fruits, and as decorative pieces for the home.
