Amazonian cassava press

3D Model

Also called “cassava snake” for the analogy with the body of a snake. It is a diagonally braided, tubular basketry that contracts when stretched. It is braided in arouman, a vegetable fibre very much used in French Guiana. It has an upper “mouth” through which the grated pulp of bitter cassava is poured. This mouth ends in a solid loop to be suspended from a crossbar. Its base is closed and also has a braided loop in which the pressure bar is threaded. The press is thus stretched, which contracts strongly and expresses the toxic juice of the pulp.

An everyday object of Wayapi or Wayana or Kali’na culture which comes from the Guyana Plateau. It is made of red arouman (Ischnosiphon arouma) fibres, a frank liana and measures 160x15x15 cm. Date of the 19th century. Toulouse Museum Collection MHNT.ETH.AC.153