Natalina Figarella: Four Decades of Corsican Basketry
A vannière’s life dedicated to preserving and reimagining an ancient craft.
Written by Johanne Bertaux-Strenna.
Last spring in Corsica, on an unseasonably warm day, I travelled to meet master basket maker Noëlle “Natalina” Figarella in Sant’Andrea-di-Cotone. Nestled in the chestnut-rich woodlands of the Castagniccia region, this picturesque hilltop village overlooks the verdant Costa Verde and sparkling Mediterranean Sea. It was the first edition of Mercatu di a Spartera, a market celebrating artisans like Natalina.
After parking the car, we continued upward by shuttle, climbing towards the village square. Here, against the weathered schist, stone and slate backdrop of the Chapelle Saint-Antoine, I spotted her instantly. She was wearing her trademark “uniform”: a red undershirt, the black-and-red check button-down shirt traditionally worn by Corsican shepherds, jeans, and a black fedora.
Switching seamlessly between French and Corsican, she answered my questions while simultaneously manipulating the myrtle branches she had cut and prepared for the day. “Chez moi d’abord on regarde, et après on travaille” (Watch first, then do) she said. I was mesmerised: her hands seemed to move on their own, in a constant state of flow.
Growing up, she had watched her father and family weave baskets. At the time, these were utilitarian - made out of necessity rather than for decoration. They were never sold, only bartered for cheese or meat, or gifted on special occasions. The savoir-faire was passed down orally, never formally taught or recorded.
When Natalina’s father died in 1979, he left behind an unfinished creation. So, she set about completing it - despite never having received formal training - guided only by memory. It was a way of honouring her father, of working through her grief - and the start of what would become her carrière-passion (passion-career), still going strong after more than 40 years.
The first piece Natalina made entirely herself was a myrtle fattoghja - a Corsican basket used in the making of brocciu, the island’s emblematic soft cheese, a blend of ewe or goat’s milk and whey. The myrtle lends the cheese a delicate, distinctive aroma, though this practice is less common today due to European hygiene regulations. Compare the bases of two fattoghje, and you’ll notice distinct weave patterns - each basket maker’s signature style, instantly recognisable to a discerning eye.
Over time, Natalina’s lack of formal training proved a blessing in disguise, allowing her to develop new techniques and tools tailored to her unique weaving style. For example, designing her own metal navette - a tool used to weave through fibres -, which she prefers over the fragile plastic versions. Or determinedly persuading the local fishermen to share the secrets of crafting their intricate nacelles – fishing creels that are now among her most spectacular shapes. Natalina even transforms these creels into stunning light fixtures – stroll through Bastia, and you’re sure to spot some, illuminating popular restaurant patios.
Natalina’s baskets are not only beautiful objects crafted with immense skill and care – they’re also entirely sustainable. She forages all her materials on the island, uses no glue or chemical treatments, and cuts only what she needs to avoid waste. Like many here, she shares a deep respect for nature and a knowledge rooted in ancestry, honouring the lunar cycle: cutting branches during the waxing moon, when rising sap makes them more supple, pliable, and less prone to mould.
“Ùn tenite nunda per voi”: in Corsican, this means “keep nothing for yourself”, or “pass on your knowledge.” These are words Natalina lives by, striving to preserve her dying metier through workshops, demonstrations, and interviews. We spoke on the phone recently, just after she had returned from the Salon de l’agriculture. “So, we went to Paris!” she exclaimed, her voice tinged with both excitement and bewilderment. She then told me that this is the year she plans to retire - which she also said last year. I suspect Natalina still has a lot more to share…
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Further Information:
Noëlle Figarella: Vannerie Corse
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Image Credits:
Lead, first and final image: Anne-Laure Casalta - gustidicorsica.com
Baskets: Johanne Bertaux-Strenna
Woven Palms: Patrice Graziani