Guksi
Guksi ( North Sami , Finnish kuksa , Swedish kåsa ) is a ladle-like drinking or serving vessel with a handle, which is mainly known from Sami handicrafts ( North Sami Duodji ).
Manufacture and maintenance
Traditionally, the guksi is carved from a burl . The tuber that grows on the trunk of the birch tree after an injury is first roughly shaped and then carefully dried to avoid cracks and cracks. Then it is shaped according to local tradition. Cups made from burl usually last longer than cups made from traditional birch. Originally, the cups were used in arctic regions as a personal drinking vessel. A carefully crafted guksi usually lasts a lifetime.
Guksi are only rinsed with clear water and dried with a cloth. As a tradition, no cleaning agents are used.
Modern guksi
Nowadays you can hardly find Guksi outside of northern Scandinavia. One of the reasons for this is that burl wood no longer plays a role in modern forestry . In addition, the use of glass, ceramics and metal have displaced the handcrafted guksi.
credentials
- ↑ Article on "Guksi" in SENC , accessed on February 20, 2020
- ↑ Material overview : http://finnish-puukko.blogspot.com/2007/02/kuksa-ancient-lapland-drinking-cup.html
