Plants used for basketry in kasaragod district, kerala

Plants used for basketry in Kasaragod District, Kerala

Keywords: Koraga, Basketry, Plants, Threats, Conservation.

ABSTRACT: Basketry is the traditional occupation of Koragas, one of the most primitive tribes, living along the Kerala-Karnataka border. They make use of a number of plants to weave baskets of different name, size and shape. At present both baskets and their creators are facing the threat of extinction owing to changing socio-economic trends. The paper lists out 29 species of plants used by the Koraga for weaving baskets, which may pave the way for conservation of both plants and the traditional craft.

153-159 | JRPS | 2012 | Vol 1 | No 2

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www.plantsciences.info

Journal of Research in

Plant Sciences An International Scientific

Research Journal

Authors:

Subrahmanya Prasad K

and Raveendran K.

Institution:

Department of Post

Graduate Studies and

Research in Botany, Sir Syed

College, Taliparamba,

Kannur - 670 142, Kerala,

India.

Corresponding author:

Subrahmanya Prasad K.

Email: [email protected]

Web Address: http://www.plantsciences.info

documents/PS0038.pdf.

Dates: Received: 06 Oct 2012 Accepted: 03 Dec 2012 Published: 31 Dec 2012

Article Citation: Subrahmanya Prasad K and Raveendran K. Plants used for basketry in Kasaragod District, Kerala. Journal of Research in Plant Sciences (2012) 1(2): 153-159

Original Research

Journal of Research in Plant Sciences

Jou

rn

al of R

esearch

in

Plan

t Scien

ces

An International Scientific Research Journal

INTRODUCTION

Kerala is the home land of 36 communities

listed in the scheduled tribes list. Out of 75 primitive

tribal groups (PTGs) categorized by Government

of India, in Kerala, there are five PTGs namely Koraga,

Cholanaikkan, Kurumbar, Kadar and Kattunayakan

(Kakkoth, 2005). The Koraga populations live in

43 settlements amidst rural population of Kasaragod

District while their major stalk lives in the adjoining

Karnataka State. Their population according to

1961, 1971, 1981, 1991 census (Anonymous, 1991)

socio-economic survey of 1996-97 (Anonymous, 2002)

and KIRTADS action plan survey (Anonymous, 1999)

was 548, 724, 1098, 1651, 1349 and 1330 respectively.

In earlier days they were treated as “untouchables” even

by scheduled castes (Vasudevan, 1998) and are so

backward that no other tribe was in a more primitive

stage than the Koraga (Aiyappan, 1948). They speak a

script less language close to Tulu and Kannada. The

economy of the Koraga is based on basketry, they are

experts in basketry and almost 70% members of the

community still subsist on basketry (Kakkoth, 2005),

while the rest resorted to agriculture labour, laterite stone

cutting, beedi rolling and wage labour. Majority of the

Koraga are skilful in the manufacture of cradles, baskets,

cylinders to hold paddy, winnowing and sowing baskets,

scale-pans, boxes, rice water strainers, ring stands for

supporting pots, coir rope and brushes for washing cattle

(Mohanty, 2004).

Basket weaving is an art or craft which needs

much expertise. Baskets are of different kinds, known by

several names with respect to their shape, size and use,

viz. Thadpe-a flat basket used to clean paddy seeds

(winnowing baskets), Gobbaratha Kantya-large basket

used to transfer manure, Manna Kantya-medium

sized basket for collection and transfer of soil,

Galakuruve-to collect arecanut, Kaikkuruve-small

basket, Kalasige-basket used to measure amount of

grains and many more. These baskets were made up of

thin slices of different plant parts which are woven in an

artistic manner into desired shape and size, held tightly

by means of cordage of plant origin. At present due to

rapid urbanization and industrialization, the tradition of

basketry is being wiped out and may not survive the

process of modernization. The present paper aims to

document and thus to conserve this less known

community’s traditional knowledge and their dependence

on natural resources, which may pave the way for

protection of both the Koraga and their craft.

METHODOLOGY

A total of 23 field trips were carried out to the

different Koraga settlements spread along

Kerala- Karnataka border. During these visits 27 Koraga

people were interviewed, of which 8 were experts,

consisting of 6 men and 2 women, all are above sixty

except one. For interview data sheets and questionnaires

were used. Data regarding the different plants used for

basketry, their properties, uses and other information

were collected. The data collected was confirmed from

other sources and compared with the existing literature

(Shetty et al., 2002; Shanmugam et al., 2012). The

collected voucher specimens were made into herbarium

sheets and deposited at the SSC herbaria for future use.

These were identified with the help of regional floras

(Hooker, 1872 - 1897; Gamble and Fischer, 1915 - 1936;

Manilal and Sivarajan, 1982; Mathew, 1983;

Ramachandran and Nair, 1988; Bhat, 2003; Anil Kumar

et al., 2005).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Every day, the Koraga people collect the suitable

plant material from the forest in quantities needed for the

preparation of two or three baskets. These are brought to

the weaving place. At first, the plant materials were split

into two from the centre, then into thin slices of even

thickness using sharp knives (Figures 1 and 2). The

spines, outer bark, warts are removed during slicing.

Prasad and Raveendran, 2012

154 Journal of Research in Plant Sciences (2012) 1(2): 153-159


Journal of Research in Plant Sciences (2012) 1(2): 153-159 155

Tab

le 1

P

lan

ts u

sed

for b

ask

etr

y

Bota

nic

al

nam

e

Vou

cher

No.

Fam

ily

Loca

l n

am

e

Hab

it

Morp

holo

gy o

f u

sefu

l p

art

Aca

cia c

aes

ia (

L.)

Wil

ld.

0128

Mim

osa

ceae

K

aa

du S

eeg

e, C

hen

de

Mu

llu

C

lim

bin

g p

rick

ly s

hru

b

Pri

ckle

rem

oved

ste

m s

lice

s

Aca

cia s

inuata

(L

our.

) M

err.

0161

Mim

osa

ceae

S

eege

Pri

ckly

cli

mb

ing

sh

rub

P

rick

le r

emo

ved

ste

m s

lice

s

Aca

cia t

ort

a (

Roxb.)

Cra

ib.

0272

Mim

osa

ceae

C

hen

de

mu

llu

P

rick

ly c

lim

bin

g s

hru

b

Pri

ckle

rem

ov

ed s

tem

sli

ces

Agave

am

eric

ana

L.

0142

Ag

avac

eae

Da

dd

oli

S

tou

t sh

rub

L

eaf

fib

res

Ala

ngiu

m s

alv

ifoli

um

(L

. f.

) W

anger

in s

sp.

hex

apet

alu

m (

Lam

k.)

Wan

ger

in

0307

Ala

ng

iace

ae

An

kole

S

trag

gli

ng

sh

rub

S

tem

sli

ces

Bam

busa

bam

bos

(L.)

Voss

. 094

Poac

eae

Bed

ru,

Bid

iru

L

arg

e th

orn

y b

amb

oo

Ste

m s

lice

s

Bora

ssus

flabel

life

r L

. 0173

Are

cace

ae

Ta

ari

, T

ha

ale

mara

T

all

pal

m

Lea

f sh

eath

or

pet

iole

fib

re

Bougain

vill

ea x

butt

iana M

rs.

Butt

0474

Nyct

agin

acea

e K

aka

ji m

ull

u, K

ag

adad

a

ho

ovi

na g

ida

Cli

mb

ing s

pin

ou

s sh

rub

S

pin

e re

mo

ved

ste

m s

lice

s

Bougain

vill

ea s

pec

tabil

is W

illd

. 0295

Nyct

agin

acea

e K

aka

ji m

ull

u, K

ag

adad

a

ho

ovi

na g

ida

Cli

mb

ing s

pin

ou

s sh

rub

S

pin

e re

mo

ved

ste

m s

lice

s

Cala

mus

rota

ng L

. 0318

Are

cace

ae

Bet

ha

Sca

nd

ent

tu

fted

sh

rub

S

tem

sli

ces

Cala

mus

thw

ait

esii

Bec

c.

0514

Are

cace

ae

Ha

nd

ibet

ha

Sca

nd

ent

tuft

ed s

hru

b

Ste

m s

lice

s

Caly

copte

ris

flori

bunda (

Roxb.)

Lam

. 0133

Com

bre

tace

ae

En

jiru

S

can

den

t sh

rub

S

tem

sli

ces

Cary

ota

ure

ns

L.

073

Are

cace

ae

Een

du, B

ain

i T

all

pal

m

Lea

f sh

eath

fib

re

Cory

pha u

mbra

culi

fera

L.

0418

Are

cace

ae

Pa

ne

Tal

l p

alm

L

eaf

shea

th f

ibre

Den

dro

cala

mus

stri

ctus

(Roxb.)

Nee

s 0278

Poac

eae

Ote

bed

ru

Tal

l b

amb

oo

Ste

m s

lice

s

Gli

rici

dia

sep

ium

Kun

th e

x W

alp.

0375

Fab

acea

e It

ina g

ida

S

mal

l dec

idu

ou

s tr

ee

You

ng b

ran

ch s

lice

s

Gnet

um

edule

(W

illd

.) B

lum

e.

0184

Gnet

acea

e N

oka

te

Lar

ge

clim

ber

S

tem

sli

ces

Ichnoca

rpus

frute

scen

s (L

.) W

. T

. A

iton.

079

Ap

ocy

nac

eae

Halu

ball

i, P

eru b

all

i L

arge

twin

ing s

hru

b

Ste

m a

nd b

ran

ches

Lee

a i

ndic

a (

Burm

. f.

) M

err.

0327

Lee

acea

e N

edth

e, N

edil

tappu

L

arge

shru

b

Ste

m a

nd b

ran

ches

Relatively broader slices, with a length of about 1.5 m

are used to weave the bottom (Figures 3-5). Other longer

slices (3-4 m long) are woven circularly in such a way

that these are interior to one slice while exterior to the

next (Figures 6-8). This process is continued until the

desired shape and size is achieved (Figures 9-12).

The suitable plant materials are the climbers

or scandent shrubs due to their flexibility. Majority of

the plant materials are used after splitting and

removal of outer skin. Narrow climbing stems

of Loeseneriella arnottiana (Wight) A. C. Sm and

Uvaria narum (Dunal) Well. ex Wight. are used as such.

Baskets prepared from Calycopteris floribunda (Roxb.)

Lam. are of great demand due to their quality

and durability. Agave americana L. leaf and

Caryota urens L. leaf sheath are soaked in water for a

month, taken out and crushed to separate the fibre.

Baskets made up of Calycopteris floribunda (Roxb.)

Lam. and Acacia spp. are soaked in water for a week to

remove their bitter substance and to increase their

durability. Different plants used for basket making, their

local name, family, habit, morphology of useful part are

listed in Table-1.

From the present study, it is evident that the

Koraga people use 29 species of plants belonging to

22 genera and 16 families for basket making, of which

19 are either climbers or scandent shrubs. Stem of 25

plants are used to weave baskets while leaf fibres of 4

plants are used to bind tightly the woven slices. Use of

Bambusa bambos L. Voss., Borassus flabellifer L.,

Corypha umbraculifera L., Ochlandra scriptoria

(Dennst.) C. E. C. Fischer and Ochlandra travancorica

Benth. ex. Gamble in basket making were reported

earlier (Shetty et al., 2002; Shanmugam et al., 2012).

Bougainvillea spp. and Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth

ex Walp. are of recent introduction, as tribal people use

these due to shortage of suitable plant material. Barks of

Acacia spp. are having cleansing property (Pawar and

Sonawale, 2011) while that of Ziziphus spp. are credited



Loes

ener

iell

a a

rnott

iana (

Wig

ht)

A. C

. S

m.

0218

Cel

astr

acea

e M

ad

eri b

all

u,

Ma

der

i b

all

i C

lim

bin

g s

hru

b

Ste

m s

lice

s or

stem

as

such

Loes

ener

iell

a b

ourd

illo

nii

(G

amble

)

Ram

amoort

hy

0294

Cel

astr

acea

e M

ad

eri b

all

u,

Ma

der

i b

all

i C

lim

bin

g s

hru

b

Ste

m s

lice

s

Och

landra

scr

ipto

ria (

Den

nst

.) C

. E

. C

.

Fis

cher

0341

Poac

eae

Va

ate

bid

iru

S

hru

bby

bam

bo

o

Ste

m s

lice

s

Och

landra

tra

vanco

rica

Ben

th.

ex G

amble

0364

Poac

eae

Va

ate

bid

iru

S

hru

bby

bam

bo

o

Ste

m s

lice

s

Poth

os

scanden

s L

. 0118

Ara

ceae

A

rke

bu

ru

Cli

mb

ing s

hru

b

Ste

m g

row

ing

alo

ng

th

e

soil

Rei

ssanti

a i

ndic

a (

Wil

ld.)

N. H

alle

. 0453

Cel

astr

acea

e M

ad

ri b

uru

C

lim

bin

g s

hru

b

Ste

m

Str

ychnos

colu

bri

na L

. 0156

Log

ania

ceae

B

all

i ka

yar

Wood

y cl

imb

er

Ste

m s

lice

s

Uva

ria n

aru

m (

Dunal

) W

all.

059

An

non

acea

e K

akk

e pa

andel

S

can

den

t sh

rub

S

tem

Ziz

iphus

oen

opli

a (

L.)

Mil

l.

0237

Rh

amn

acea

e C

ho

ori

mu

llu

S

can

den

t sh

rub

S

pin

e re

mo

ved

ste

m s

lice

s

Ziz

iphus

rugosa

Lam

. 0179

Rh

amn

acea

e K

ott

e m

ull

u

Scr

amb

lin

g s

hru

b

Sp

ine

rem

ov

ed s

tem

sli

ces



Figure 1 Plant materials Figure 2 Preparation of thin slices Figure 3 Thin slices

Figure 4 Thin slices ready for weaving Figure 5 Initial stage of weaving Figure 6 Weaving of basket

Figure 7 Weaving of thin slices Figure 8 Weaving at the final stage Figure 9 Preparation of handle

Figure 10 Handle Figure11 Finished product

(Gobbaratha Kantya)

Figure 12 Finished product

(Manna Kantya)

with antiseptic properties (Paulsamy, 2011). Of the

29 plants 24 are well known for their healing properties

(Jain, 1991; Udayan and Balachandran, 2009), thus

imparting medicinal value, insect and pest repellent

properties to the baskets weaved from them.

CONCLUSION

When compared with modern plastic or fibre

baskets, these traditional baskets are easy to handle,

durable, biodegradable and ecofriendly. Due to shortage

of plant materials and difficulty in marketing, the

younger generations of Koraga community are fleeing

away from their traditional craft of basket weaving,

towards other seemingly prestigious jobs, leaving it in

hands of a few old. Thus the stark reality is that both

Koraga tribe and their craft is facing fear of extinction of

their unique culture and identity.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Authors are indebted to the tribal people,

especially Aitha, Babu, Batya, Chaniya, Chaniyaru,

Manku and Sundara for their generous support during

the field survey. We also thank the Principal and

Management, Sir Syed College, Taliparamba for their

encouragement and support. First author is grateful to

KSCSTE for financial assistance.

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Plants used for basketry in kasaragod district, kerala

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