Awit
LOCAL NAME:
Awit
ENGLISH NAME:
Women’s carrying basket
DESCRIPTION:
A single bowl-shaped basket woven using rattan strips and reinforced by rattan sticks. Two rattan sticks were looped on top of each other to form the basket’s rim, while another stick was looped on the middle to create a support for the basket’s body.
COMMONLY USED BY/IN:
Abra, Bontoc, Kalinga
MATERIAL COMPOSITION:
Rattan
ITEM CONSTRUCTION:
Basket weaving
DIMENSIONS:
Body:
Height: 19 cm
Base:
Height: 2 cm
Length: 14.8 cm
Width: 14.6 cm
Rim:
Diameter: 45 cm x 45.5 cm
ACQUISITION YEAR:
2021
DISPLAY STATUS:
BURC
RESEARCH DATA:
This round burden basket, called awit, is used by Kalinga women in Northern Luzon. Similar to the labba, carrying baskets used by Bontoc (Mountain Province) and Itneg (Abra) women, and the lagba of Kankana-ey (Benguet), awit is used to carry a huge load of newly harvested rice, vegetables, and root crops (Hamilton, 1998). This is also used as vegetable storage. Awit’s hoop in the middle of the basket sets it apart from the labba. The hoop provides added strength to the basket’s structure (Hamilton, 1998). The rattan base serves as a support to avoid spilling contents when setting the basket down. Women carry this basket on top of their heads as they transport the items from the farms to their homes.
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