Split
bamboo carriers like this chagee are made to perform a wide variety of
functions, from carrying large fruits and potatoes to carrying small children.
Another
common backpack design. This sort of large, enclosed basket that covers the
entire back can be used for everything from beans to cotton.
Perpetually
wending back and forth as they do between field, home, and market, Filipinos
naturally rely heavily on backpacks. Especially for highland peoples whose daily
lives revolve around traversing steep mountain trails, there is simply no other
way to get things from place to place.
This Bontok kayabang rattan and bamboo potato
carrier may look inefficient, but it keeps the weight up high where it is
most manageable. It is carried via a tump line which straps across the forehead.
Additional layers of wire around the top may hold more potatos in place. This
item was made in the 1800s, but they are still in use.
Two
chagee potato carriers; the one on the right folds up.
