A unique and essential item of rainforest life was an elegantly
constructed, crescent-shaped, woven basket. These beautifully
crafted baskets were made from lengths of split lawyer cane, a
prolific climbing plant found throughout the rainforest. The
lawyer cane was not collected until needed because the basket-
maker had to complete the task within five days—after this time
the cane could no longer be made pliable by soaking. The
distinct crescent shape of the basket was formed by stringing
the ends of the split lawyer cane like a bow and attaching it by
top-stitching to the inner surface. Two handles, one small, one
long, were fitted to the mouth and held there by tightly woven
thin strips of split lawyer cane. Undecorated crescent-shaped
baskets were used to gather and leach foods. … In flood times
women caught large quantities of small fish with these baskets.
Very large baskets were used to ferry goods—and also
children—across rivers. Crescent-shaped bark baskets were also
made for carrying honey or water.