Using Indigenous Basket and Mat Weaving in Mathematics Education

The study is an exploration of the potential of using indigenous basket and mat weaving in the teaching and learning of mathematics.Three professional weavers were interviewed and observed while weaving baskets and mats. Finished products were analysed to assess the embedded mathematical ideas in the artifacts. The findings were that there is a diverse amount of mathematical ideas in the basket and mat weaving activities. Different levels of school mathematics curriculum at which the derived concepts can be incorporated were identified. It is argued that it is possible to use indigenous basket and mat weaving in the teaching and learning of mathematics at different levels from Primary to Tertiary levels.