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Crafts / Palm Leaf Craft

Palm Leaf Craft

State
Andhra Pradesh
Material
Palmyra leaf · Natural dye
Rarity
Popular

Strips of palm leaf, plaited into everyday and decorative things

About

Baskets, mats, fans and decorative objects woven from palmyra leaf in rural Andhra Pradesh.

Palm leaf craft is the making of objects by splitting palm leaves into strips and braiding, plaiting or interlacing them. In Andhra Pradesh the main palm for this work is the palmyra, also called the toddy palm, a tall fan palm that grows in many parts of the state. Its leaves are used for roofing and weaving, and its sap is tapped as a drink.

In rural Andhra Pradesh the craft is mostly done by women of agricultural families, who weave baskets for storing grain and farm produce, mats, fans, hats and umbrellas for shade. Palm leaf products are also known from the district of Anakapalli, where artisans make mats and eco-friendly utensils and containers.

Besides these everyday items, palm leaf is made into decorative objects such as trays, vases, pen holders, wall hangers, garlands and small flowers. The strips can be left in their natural colour or dyed to make patterns. The craft is a part of a wider South Indian tradition of palm leaf work found in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Odisha and other states, each with its own forms.

How it’s made

The leaf comes from the palmyra palm. The leaves are cut, dried in shade or sun, and then split into strips with a knife or blade, and in some workshops with a machine. The central, firmer part of the leaf, called moungu akku, is used for baskets for storing farm produce. The strips may be dyed in colours to create patterns.

The strips are braided, plaited and interlaced. For baskets and containers, strips are arranged in spiralling coils with interlocking knots, and the shape is adjusted by changing the direction and tension of the spiral. Flat items such as mats, fans and hats are plaited from the strips, and the edges are bound neatly.

For finishing, loose ends are trimmed and tucked in and the edges are bound with strips. Decorative pieces such as roses and vases are shaped by folding and tying strips, often with small bits of dyed leaf to add colour. Because palm leaf is a natural, biodegradable fibre, finished goods are light and can be composted at the end of their life.

Key features

  • Made from palmyra (toddy palm) leaf strips
  • Braided, plaited and interlaced by hand, often in spiral coils
  • Mostly done by women of agricultural households
  • Everyday items: baskets, mats, fans, hats, umbrellas
  • Decorative items: trays, vases, pen holders, flowers and garlands
  • Strips can be dyed to create patterns
  • Natural, light and biodegradable

History

Palm leaves have served people in South Asia for a very long time as roofing, mats, baskets, fans and umbrellas, and as a writing surface for manuscripts. Palm-leaf manuscripts, in which text is scratched into dried leaf strips and then inked, survive from many centuries and many parts of India, and they are a different, writing tradition from weaving, though they use the same material.

In coastal and rural Andhra Pradesh, the palmyra is a familiar part of village life. People climb the trees to tap sap, fresh leaves are folded into small containers for drinking the toddy, dried leaves thatch houses and cattle shelters, and leaf strips are woven into baskets and mats. Toddy-tapping communities, such as the Settibalija of East and West Godavari, have been closely tied to the palm.

The written history of palm leaf weaving as a craft in Andhra Pradesh is thin, since it was a household activity and was not documented. Today palm leaf work is promoted as a sustainable, eco-friendly craft, and it is recognised as a product of the Anakapalli district.

Facts

  • Moungu akku The firm centre of the leaf. The central portion of the palmyra leaf, called moungu akku, is used for weaving baskets for storing farm produce.
  • Anakapalli A district product. Palm leaf products from the Anakapalli district of Andhra Pradesh are woven by local artisans, from mats to eco-friendly utensils.
  • Doppa A folded leaf cup. In some villages, fresh palm leaves are folded into small boat-like containers, locally called doppa, to drink the sap.
  • Many uses A whole-tree plant. Palmyra leaves are used for thatch, mats, baskets, fans, hats and umbrellas, and the sap is a seasonal drink.

Market

Eco-friendly gifts and home items

Palm leaf work is sold as baskets, trays, boxes, mats, fans, hats, vases and decorative pieces at craft fairs and in online shops. Prices are low to moderate; the best pieces show tight, even plaiting.

Sustainability

A natural, renewable material

Palm leaf is a renewable material from a tree that is already tapped for other uses, and finished goods are biodegradable. The craft needs little equipment and creates income for rural women. Choosing natural-dye or undyed palm leaf keeps it fully natural.

Products

  • Palm leaf baskets: For storing grain and produce, and now for the home
  • Palm leaf fans: Hand fans plaited in the traditional way
  • Mats and trays: Flat plaited pieces for the floor and table
  • Hats and umbrellas: Sun protection items, traditional in farm life
  • Vases, boxes and pen holders: Decorative modern uses
  • Palm leaf flowers: Roses and other flowers folded from leaf strips

Words to know

  • Palmyra: The toddy palm, a fan palm whose leaves are used for weaving.
  • Moungu akku: The central portion of the palmyra leaf used for baskets.
  • Plaiting: Weaving strips over and under one another.
  • Doppa: A folded leaf cup used to drink palm sap.
  • Toddy: The sap of the palm, tapped as a drink.

Try it yourself

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