Cyrapter 1X 
BASKETRY AND PLAIT WORK 
Materials employed (100): The preparation of itiriti (101); mamuri (102); 
awarra and akko-yuro (103); kamwarri (104). 
Forms of weaving followed (105-114). 
Waterproof basketry (115). 
100. Of the materials used in basketry, perhaps the commonest 
are the itiriti and mtkru, the mamutri, the awarra, and akko-yuro. 
The itiriti and miikru are species of /schnosiphon, known locally as 
moroca and manna (Mak.), warimba, or warimbo (St, 1, 397), ma- 
ranta, ete.; the mamtri is a “bush rope,” a Carludovica, known as 
tibid to the Wapishana; the awarra and akko-yuro are “ pimpler” 
palms, the Astrocaryum tucumoides and A. tucum, respectively. 
Another pimpler creeper palm that is not infrequently used is the 
kamwarri, a species of Desmoncus (sec. 72). A species of Mero- 
stachys is employed on the upper Rio Branco (EU, 291). Besides 
these, there is the fibrous root of the Pothos macrophylla Schw. 
(Anthurium macrophyllum Sw.), which was used by the Indians 
to make baskets (CC, 12). Schomburgk found an Arawak chief 
on Canje Creek making baskets from the slender branches of a 
species of bignonia (ScA, 348) ; a certain tribe on the Brazilian bor- 
ders of our colony make their pegalls of the leaves of the Orbigignia 
palm (IT, 282) ; the pegalls of the Oyampi in Cayenne are manufac- 
tured from the bark of Stromanthe sanguinea (Cr, 202), ete. For 
temporary basketry, the ite, manicol, and kokerit leaves are very com- 
monly used (secs. 453-457). 
101. The process of preparing and splitting the itiriti into the 
requisite strands for plaiting has been described as follows: The 
stems of this reed, reaching to a length of 9 or 10 feet, can be 
used immediately after cutting, but may keep for a couple of weeks or 
more, provided they are in a cool shade; exposure to the sun dries up 
and spoils them. When required for use the stem is first scraped of 
its outer green cortex, and then may be stained with certain black, 
red, or other dyes (e. g., Inga, Bellucia) ; the outer green cortex may, 
however, be left on the strand in the manufacture of cassava 
squeezers for Indian domestic use, and of crab quakes (i. e., baskets 
for carrying crabs). After nicking a ring about one-half inch from 
its extremity, the stem is split down crosswise—the four primary 
60160°—24——_10 137 
