Rosa and Manuel, basket weavers
Rosa was born in a family of basket weavers and when Manuel married her, he learned the craft and became one as well. They work as a team, in their workshop in Braga, where they make all kinds of wicker baskets, sometimes with the help of Rosa’s older brother, her teacher in this craft. Sitting in her bench, while Manuel prepares the wicker, Rosa goes on plaiting.
Wicker is a vegetable fiber that is both flexible and resistant, which gives it great durability. However, before starting, the wattles should be soaked for a few hours so that they become malleable. In order to prepare the wicker to be plaited, if the wattles are not going to be used whole, Manuel starts splitting them. The whole wicker wattle can be used on the bigger pieces and also on those where more resistance is required. On the smaller ones, or in those who will not be subject to great strain, it’s possible to render it by slicing the wicker into thinner splints. Deciding what thickness to use is a balance between the final size of the piece, the detail of the plaiting and the desired level of resistance.
To split the wattle, Manuel strikes the top of the wicker with the knife and, by sliding down the “rachadeira” (an egg shaped wooden piece), he divides it into three pieces that will then be splintered again into thinner strips, in the machine. Each kind of basket has a unique wooden mold, made to fit. It is around this mold that the basket is built, ensuring that the shape and the dimensions are correct. The basket starts from the base, which is then fixed to the wooden form so that the wicker can be plaited. Plait by plait, the basket grows. The most delicate and perfect pieces always come from Rosa’s hands. It’s her experience, and especially her critical eye, that lead her towards perfectionism.
There are a lot of things that make me happy about knowing these two artisans, but the main thing is that they contradict the idea that the only ones who still practice the craft are old people who do it out of tradition. If on one hand the craft has been learnt within the family and because it was traditional, on the other hand Rosa and Manuel have a great will to work on what they love, and look upon what they do not as a result of a tradition that must be preserved, but as a result of very specific techniques that produce high quality work. They are willing to produce all kinds of wicker pieces, and to always do better and more when you ask them to.
