Dudabas

Dudabas are traditional woven baskets associated with the fictional Kharin culture. They are produced by hand, using a frame loom and interlacing plant fibers to form tight, sturdy vessels. In Kharin lore, dudabas serve as both everyday containers and ceremonial objects, reflecting the community's emphasis on practicality and reciprocity.

They are typically made from river reed, bulrush, and palm fibers. The weaving pattern combines diagonal techniques that yield a subtle geometric texture, with most dudabas having a rounded body, a flat base, and a lid, though regional variants exist. Dyes derived from indigo, madder, and bark pigments provide blue, red, and earth tones. Patterns often include geometric bands and clan symbols.

In daily life, dudabas store grains, dried herbs, and tools. In ceremonial contexts, they hold offerings and are used in ritual exchanges during harvest festivals and weddings. The transfer of a dudaba between households is intended to symbolize kinship, obligation, and social bonds, reinforcing networks of reciprocity within the community.

The earliest references to dudabas appear in Kharin oral histories and later in crafted artefact collections depicted in fiction. In contemporary depictions within the imagined setting, dudabas remain a symbol of artisanal skill and communal cooperation, sometimes featured in exhibitions, literature, and role-playing games inspired by Kharin culture.