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Coconut basket gallery
All baskets made by Lynn Martin Graton
A variety of coconut baskets
basket styles from left to right: Pohnpei, Palau, Fiji (behind), Palau (front), Guahan (Guam).
A variety of coconut baskets
Basket styles from left to right: Tobi Island (Palau), Yap, Fiji, basket invented by Vivian "Happy" Tamanaha, Palau, Guahan (Guam).
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Yap butou
This basket is woven with the center stalk still in tact and the leaflets opened up. Food or other things are put in before the bottom is braided closed. Then the stalk can be split open when you need what is inside. It is perfect for talking on a trip by canoe or land.
Moorea crescent shaped b basket
This basket is woven using a total of 8 sections of three leaflets each. The sections are connected so that the remaining ends of the leaflets are braided into a handle.
Tobi Island basket
This basket is also woven using a total of 8 sections of three leaflets each. The sections are connected but they are locked together in a slightly different orientation from the Tobi Island basket resulting in a slightly different shape!.
Again, the remaining ends of the leaflets are braided into a handle.
Again, the remaining ends of the leaflets are braided into a handle.
Two round baskets - (left) Palau style - (right) Guahan (Guam) style
Both baskets are very strong and can be used for all types of needs.
Two round baskets - (top) Palau style - (bottom) Guahan (Guam) style
This view shows the inside of the baskets. The Palau style is closed with a braid and the Guahan style is closed with a star pattern.
Two round baskets - (left) Palau style - (right) Guahan (Guam) style
This view shows the bottom of the two baskets. The Palau style is closed with a braid. The Guahan style is closed with a star pattern and completed with a rolled foot.
Yap style basic carrying basket - front view.
This basket is made using two equal sections from both side of the frond. It is closed with a braid.
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Yap style basic carrying basket - inside view.
Yap style basic carrying basket - bottom view.
Yap style finely woven carrying basket.
This version is woven with 4 sections locked at the top and woven in a twill weave. And, this one shows the color once it has dried.
Fiji style ketekete basket - side view
This basket is made my trimming the leaflets down so they are approximately 3/8" wide. It is made by connecting 4 sections of leaflets at the top. It is woven using two types of twill (over 2/under 2) - one twill forms vertical arrows and the other horizontal arrows.
Fiji style ketekete basket - inside view
This view shows the 4 sections at the top and the bottom that is created with a woven braid.
Fiji style ketekete basket - bottom view
This basket is closed with two braids making it extremely strong.
Small Palauan style basket used for food or betel nut supplies.
This basket is woven so that the sections are cut for each side, which allows the basket to be pulled with an arched top.
Palau split rib betel nut basket
This basket is made with the very center shoot of a young coconut tree. Each leaflet is split so that half the midrib goes to each side. Then the leaflet is stripped down to about 3/8" before weaving. Because the leaflets are split in half it is a very delicate and lightweight.
Pohnpei style kopwou - side view.
This basket is woven with three sections of frond for each side. When it is truly finished it gets handles. It can be used for carrying all sorts , of things but it is said that it was once used for new born infants.
Pohnpei style kopwou - bottom view.
This view shows how the two sides connect at the botton in a twill weave (over 2/under 2).
Pohnpei style kopwou - inside view.
This view shows the rectangular shape and twill weave.
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