Njodax / ndiorokh (the traditional grass material)
The coiled binding of thick local grass (njodax/ndiorokh) with thin strips of palm frond into vividly colored baskets by Wolof women of Senegal, a technique practiced for generations and transmitted from mother to daughter and aunt to niece. Weavers work communally, binding grass coils into baskets of varying sizes and shapes while socializing, with the craft functioning both as a cultural continuity practice and, through contemporary cooperative models, as a significant source of independent income for rural women. A notable, ongoing material transition is underway: traditional palm-frond binding material, difficult to work with and hard on weavers' hands, is increasingly being replaced by strips cut from recycled plastic (including repurposed rice-sack packaging), a change that eases physical strain but represents a genuine shift away from the fully natural traditional material base.
Risk level: Vulnerable · Not independently inscribed
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