Make a Bangalow Palm Basket and Backpack

A method of carrying items is often an important feature of survival. There’s only so much we can carry in our hands and a rucksack, or similar, may not be available.

Kev Newton of Australian Survival Instructors takes us through the method of creating a basket using Bangalow Palm fronds.

The Bangalow (Archontopoenix cunninghamiana) is native to parts of Australia and grows to over 20m tall. It has bright green leaves and a thin trunk. This gives the impression that the leaves are too heavy or large for the trunk below.  The size of the Bangalow Palm tree frond makes them particularly useful. They also provides a comforting canopy and decent shade against sunlight.

How to make a Bangalow Palm basket

The first thing to do is to gather a Bangalow Palm frond. Kev tells us that these should not be old ones as they tend to have splits in them. However, they do need to be of an appropriate size – as can be seen in the instructional video.

The frond then needs to be soaked in water for a minimum of 2 days. This ensures pliability. The leaves would be too difficult to manipulate into shape otherwise.

The next step is to trim off the stem end of the frond. This makes it much easier to work with.

Creating the shape

Next, use a knife to score an elliptical shape in the middle of frond. This will form the bottom of the basket so ensure it is a suitable size. Now manipulate and bend the frond into shape to form the sides of the basket.

Prepare sinew or other strong cordage for stitching the sides of the basket together. In Kev’s video, he makes kangaroo lace to use.

Fold the frond over twice at the bottom corner and poke a hole through using an awl. Thread the cord through the two bottom parallel holes using a large needle. A weaving loom needle or sailmakers needle will be ideal if you haven’t got a bush-made one! Once threaded fully, tie an overhand knot around the bottom part of the basket side to prevent the cord from unthreading.

Stitching the seams

Make further holes along the edges where the sides will be stitched together. Kev uses a bone awl for this. Ensure that holes are made through both layers of the frond. For neatness, one side edge should over lap the other. The seam which will be created should be on the inside of the basket.

Thread the rest of the cordage through the remaining holes. While stitching the basket sides together, work horizontally from side to side as you move up the height of the basket . A vertical running stitch is likely to cause splits in the Bangalow Palm frond. Finish off with another overhand knot tied in the final loop created. Repeat the process for the second side of the basket.

The video, below, shows Kev talking through these steps as he creates the basket:

How to make a Bangalow Palm Backpack

Now that the basket has been made it may be more convenient for carrying by adding some extra components. In this case, Kev shows and explains how to create a backpack.

For this, Kev uses rabbit fur and kangaroo skin but any other suitable materials can be used. There should be a number of strips a bit under 1cm wide. They should be long enough to tie around the basket.

The main section of kangaroo skin, or whatever is being used, should be sized about the width of the basket. Its height should be about half that of its width.

To begin with, the edge of rabbit skin is nipped with a knife to give a nice edging finish.

Further prepare the kangaroo leather by cutting slits or holes in. This is for the lacing or cord to go through. Basically these should enable about three cords extending horizontally from each side and three vertically from the bottom. Note that extra support is required for the vertical strips. Do this by creating a top, middle and bottom hole for each vertical.

Further holes should be cut into the top rear of the basket. This is where the rabbit skin will attach. Also make two holes, a few centimetres apart, in the centre top on the front of the basket.

Improving the look and adding comfort

Feed the lacing or cord through the slits/holes previously created in the leather as demonstrated in the video.

Attach the piece of kangaroo leather to the basket by tightly tying the horizontally facing laces around the top of the basket. Tie part of the lace through the two holes previously created in the basket. This will prevent the horizontally tied lace from being pulled down in the next step. With the middle vertically facing lace, drop this down the back of the basket, bring it from underneath and up the front. Now tie the lace centrally to the previously tied horizontal lace.

Tie the remaining horizontal laces around the sides of the basket. The vertical laces should be projected downwards and tied onto the central vertical lace.

The rabbit skin is then attached to the rear part of the basket and kangaroo skin. This is done by feeding the lace through the basket and the rabbit skin. The fur should overlap the top of the basket.

Making and adding the arm straps

Finally the straps need to be added to cover the Bangalow Palm basket into a backpack.

Cut two kangaroo leather strips about 3 to 4 cm (between 1 and 2 inches) wide. The length should be long enough for the basket and to allow the straps to rest on your shoulders when the backpack is worn. kangaroo leather is very strong so is ideal for this. Tie these in the appropriate places on the basket to from straps.

Watch the video below to see how it is done: