Basket

Unknown

early 20th century

Fibers, leather, beads, cowrie shells, cloth

Minneapolis Institute of Art

A beaded basket with a lid is displayed against a neutral background. The basket is covered in intricate beadwork with geometric patterns. This Somali wedding basket was given to the bride on her wedding day. It would become a place to store personal items, such as jewelry, but first it would be used for a playful wedding-day ritual. Filled with treats, the basket would be covered and tied shut with string. Male guests, including the groom, would then compete to open it within a certain amount of time. In the end, the groom was expected to win—the tied basket being a metaphor for his wife. Gallery G254 The Mary Ruth Weisel Endowment for Africa, Oceania, and the Americas