Nurul Islam

Basketry

Household

Farming tools

Basketry (BSK)

Household item

Culinary

Sammua is a traditional two-piece bamboo tiffin carrier used by Rohingya farmers, cow herders, woodcutters, and other rural labourers working in fields and forests of rural Arakan. To pack a sammua, the bottom half is lined with a leaf (often a banana leaf but can vary in kind), then cooked rice is placed in the leaf and a dry curry placed on top of the rice, or in the second leaf. The ends of the leaf are then folded over the food to keep it warm, and the top half of the sammua fitted tightly over the top. The leaf layer protects the food, prevents leakage, and also infuses the rice with a pleasant scent. Sammua is one of the most complex basket items produced by the Rohingya and are made by specialized basketmakers. They can be made in different sizes.