Woven Agaseke sisal basket, popularly known as the Rwanda peace basket, with beautiful Z-patterns

Description

Agaseke was used to carry foodstuff while going to visit or attend a wedding – a symbol of love between the visitor and host. Sources add that the neatly woven basket was also used to preserve food – for a maximum of 7 days – particularly sorghum bread (umutsima wa masaka). Agaseke symbolised a good family. When a girl got married, she would stay with her parents-in- law for a specific period of time before going to live with her husband. During her stay, she was required to make Agaseke which she would eventually give her mother-in-law as a gift. And if she failed to finish weaving the basket before that period, she would be labeled ‘lazy’. It would also be interpreted as a result of poor training by the girl’s parents. This explains why girls today carry Ubuseke on their wedding ceremonies.