CIRCA WHO: Buri Rattan

CIRCA WHAT:

Buri is a type of palm tree that grows in abundance in the arid regions of the world. The dried leaves are removed and used for other products such as hats and fans. The hard rib is split with a sharp knife. The ribbon makes a strong, flexible fiber material.

First discovered buried with pharaohs in ancient Egypt, wicker is an ancient craft that uses raw materials originally developed for basket weaving.

The frame of the product is made from a rattan pole that is as thick as a human finger. The rattan is heated with a blowtorch and then bent into the desired shape.The frame is held together with glue and nails. Tiny holes are drilled around the edge of the frame where the spokes or ribs are inserted. The short pencil like ribs are made of split bamboo

The majority of the world’s rattans are found in Indonesia’s forests, with the rest of the world’s supply provided by the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangladesh among others. Almost all the rattan is collected from tropical rainforests.

In the United States, Cyrus Wakefield began constructing rattan furniture in the 1850s. He first used rattan that had been offloaded from ships, where it was used as ballast, but as his designs became well-known, he began importing the material himself.