Kyrgyzstan · Basketry / Willow Craft
Себет (Sebet)
Sebet (Себет — basket) is the willow basketry tradition of the Chuy Valley in northern Kyrgyzstan — distinct from the felt and leather traditions of the southern and mountain regions in being a sedentary river-valley craft producing domestic storage and carrying baskets from the specific willow species of the Chuy river basin. The defining technical knowledge is the willow rod selection by bending: each rod selected for the basket must be bent to 90 degrees without cracking — 'if it bends, it weaves; if it cracks, it breaks the basket.' The 90-degree bend test is the primary quality gate before any weaving begins.
Risk level: Endangered · Kyrgyzstan national ICH list
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