190310 - Ethiopian Old Tribal used African Borana Milk Container - Ethiopia.

This is a authentic traditional Old Tribal used handmade Ethiopian Borana milk Container.
The size are 34 cm high.
This is one of several types of basketry milk containers made and used by the Borana, a pastoral people who raise cattle in southern Ethiopia. The vegetal fibers used in their fabrication are woven very tightly, they are light and extremely durable, and serve as the ideal container for liquids. One of the key characteristics of the gorfa is the application of cowries, small white shells that enhance the beauty of the container.
Among the Borana, all women are expected to learn to make woven milk containers like the gorfa. Milk containers themselves are vital objects in a culture where raising cattle is of central importance. The milk that these containers hold is a symbol of abundance. The container's symbolic meaning stems from its structure--in Borana society, weaving is associated with fertility. The container and the milk thus symbolize the ideal combination of abundance and fertility, two fundamental requirements for the reproduction and prosperity of the family and community. In this society women produce woven containers and men carve wood containers. Both types of containers may serve the same utilitarian function but they are used in different social settings.