CULTUKE OF PEOPLE OF SOUTHEASTERN PANAMA 91 



parallel veins removed, after which they are split into shreds 

 and immersed in boiling water for a time and then bleached in the 

 sun. The weaving or plaiting of the hats is done entirely under 

 water in order to make the splints more pliable and resilient. 



Basketry technique. — Of the various methods of basketry produc- 

 tion, namely, twilled, checker, wicker, coiled, twined, diaper, and 

 imbricated, those most commonly employed in Darien are the twilled, 

 wicker, and diaper weaves. In the latter method a series of radial 

 splints form the foundation or warp over which and under which 

 the lighter basket splints or filaments forming the weft or active 

 part of basket-work are passed. 



Twilled basketry, in which all elements are active and pass under 

 and over different numbers of two or more strands and not always 

 the same strands, is probably more commonly employed by the Choco 

 and Tule than is wicker ware, and reaches a refinement of surface 

 decorative design that shows a pattern by the crossings of the 

 filaments. Sometimes this design is obtained by crossing black and 

 straw colored splints; again, just as beautiful results are obtained 

 by crossing elements one of which shows the natural straw color of 

 the outer surface of the element and the other exposing the white 

 split inner surface. Both types of design are common. To secure 

 the black color for one group of elements the Choco employ caruto, 

 the black, caustic pigment of Genipa americana, which supplies a 

 jet black dye. 



The twilled baskets from the Choco, Cuna, and Tule are made of 

 split cane either in the natural color or dyed. The union of textile 

 effects and the three colors; white, from the split inner surface, 

 straw color, or the natural outer surface, and, third, black, are most 

 pleasing; the motive being ellipses and rhombs made by the use of 

 small squares and rectangles. The upper portion of the basketry 

 usually shows how a twill effect may be produced on the surface 

 by the lights and shades of the natural uncolored material crossing 

 with the dyed filaments. 



Materials. — The many cylindrical baskets in the collection are 

 of twilled work from the dried stems of little arrowroot. Other 

 materials commonly employed are : Maranta, or arrowroot ; Ficus 

 (wild fig) bark; pita; a basket tying material vine called " bejuco 

 hierro " (iron withe, also used in tying the poles of native huts) ; 

 the royal palm (Attalea go??iphococca), the long leaves of which are 

 used for thatching; the split petiole and leaf of the tacca palm; 

 long palm leaves for thatching, from which also peeled strips, 

 grommets, and variously shaped extemporaneous loops are made. 

 Roofs are also thatched with the horizontally laid fronds of the 

 cokerite palm. 



77826—26 7 



