Umbilical chord baskets (vili vili)

Umbilical chord baskets, vili vili, are used to store the umbilical chord of new-born children. When a baby is around a week old its dry umbilical cord is removed and placed in a vili vili. If the baby is female, the vili vili is hung in a cotton tree so that when she grows up she will know how to weave. If the baby is a boy, it is hung in a coconut tree, so that when he grows up he will be good at climbing coconut trees and making palm wine. Two weavers of vili vili were identified, Gracinda da Assuncâo, in aledia Iora, Tutuala sub-district, and Gilermina dos Santos in aledia Titilari, Lospalos sub-district. Both said they were taught to weave by their mothers.

Photo: Gracinda da Assuncâo weaving vili vili in aldeia Ioro, Tutuala sub-district.
 

 

Photo: Gilermina dos Santos holding a vili-vili she wove, in aldeia Titilari, Lospalos sub-district.