Celebrating the Mothers behind Bashiri

Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful, supportive and inspirational mothers out there! While here in Australia we celebrate Mother’s Day, over in West Africa the tradition of mothers day is not something widely celebrated. West African culture does not have a calendar day in the year where they celebrate mothers collectively, however there is definitely still a presence of the strong connection between mother and child. There is a bond between mothers and their children as a mentor and leader, teaching them traditions from their culture and life lessons. Many skills within the community are passed down for generations, with mothers and grandmothers teaching lifelong skills to their young as they grow up.

A very special traditional technique that has been passed on from mother to daughter for generations is the art of weaving and basket making. Both the harvesting/preparation of materials such as elephant grass, and the creation of baskets and other items is shown to children, so they too can one day teach the same skills to their children. These beautiful, handwoven art forms are a symbol of a collective talent of women, and you could even say that each woven piece tells a story of the community and the generations of women who have been a part of that community. This story is of of livelihood, tradition, sacrifice and new beginnings.

Here at Bashiri, we are in awe of the artists who hand weave each one of our products with love and care. We would like to take this opportunity on Mother’s Day to vocalise our appreciation for these amazing women! We cherish the relationships we have built with these mothers, daughters, grandmothers and all other women and say THANK YOU.