Table ofContents
Maps:
CultureGroups of the
All About Baskets:
BasketryTypes and Uses
Materials
Techniques
Designs andDecoration
Activities:
Weaving aPlaited Basket
DesignNames
DecorateYour Own Basket
Glossary
Recommended
Additional Resources
Bibliography
Map of
TribalLocations in the Early 1800s
All About Baskets
BasketryTypes and Uses
Basketryhas been practiced for thousands of years by Native peoples of
There aremany different types of baskets, with countless variations on these types madeby different tribes and individual artists.Some basket types that can be seen in museums are no longer a part ofthe daily lives of Native peoples. Manyother kinds of basketry, however, maintain significant roles in Native cultures. The descriptions which follow provide just afew examples of important types of basketry.
Food Gathering, Storage andPreparation
Basketryplayed an important role in the gathering, storage and preparation offood. Baskets were (and, in some cases,still are) used to gather roots, berries, shellfish and other foods. Sturdy burden baskets capable of holdinglarge and heavy loads were worn on the back and carried using a tumpline. Baskets made for gathering berries were oftenwoven from flexible materials which allowed the basket to be folded and storedflat. Containers used to gathershellfish and other seafood used very open weaves, allowing for easy rinsingand water drainage.
Oncegathered, food was often kept in storage baskets. These varied in sizedepending on the items being stored.Basketry covers made of cedar bark were used by some tribes to placeover dishes or boxes filled with food.
Thepreparation of foods often relied on basketry.Berries and roots could be dried on woven mats spread out in thesun. Loosely woven basketry was used tostrain oil from certain kinds of fish.
Basketswere used for cooking in several ways.Shellfish could be steamed in openwork baskets. Closely woven, watertight containers werealso used to cook foods. Red-hot rockswere placed in a water-filled basket, bringing the water to boil and cookingthe contents. As the rocks cooled off,they were removed from the water with wooden tongs and replaced with newlyheated rocks. As metal cooking vesselsfirst introduced by European traders became commonplace, the use of basketryfor cooking declined.
Furnishings and Garments
Furnishingsmade from basketry include mats, chests, trunks and cradles. Mats are made in a wide range of sizes andare woven with a variety of materials such as cedar bark, cattail leaves or tule. Mats have beenused for canoe sails, house partitions and for padding on which to sleep andeat.
Garmentsare another important category of basketry.Rain capes can be made using shredded cedar bark or the flat leaves ofcattail. Both of these materials shedwater, providing excellent protection from the rain. Cedar bark can also be used for making aprons,skirts and hats. Hats provide protectionfrom both sun and rain. For the mostefficient barrier to rain, southern Northwest Coat hats are often constructedfrom two separate, woven layers. Theinner and the outer hats are joined at the rims. Basketry hats made in a variety of techniquescan be seen today at potlatches, powwows and other special events.
Ceremonial Uses
Ceremoniesmay feature basketry which displays crests or signifies prestige. (Crests are family emblems which areconsidered owned property.) Woven hatssometimes have crest designs painted on their exterior. On the northern
A fewbaskets are regarded so highly that they are considered crests themselves. Among the Chilkat Tlingit, for example, an enormous basket known as Kuhk-claw, or “Mother Basket,” was woven inthe 1800s. Measuring almost three feetboth in height and diameter, the basket was used to hold large quantities offood. Through its repeated use anddisplay at potlatches, the basket earned the status of a crest. Today, this basket is both a source of prideand a precious heirloom for the family to which it belongs.
Baskets Made for
Basketsmade for sale are an important category of basketry and often comprise a largepercentage of museum basketry collections.During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the volume of baskets producedfor sale to non-Native persons increased dramatically. Basketry became animportant source of income for many families.This time period coincides with increased collecting efforts by privateindividuals and museums. Growing numbersof tourists came to the western
Basketry Today
While it isan ancient art, basketry is a tradition which continues to thrive today. In the past, basket making was the domain ofwomen. Today, both men and womenpractice basketry, although it remains a predominantly female art. Contemporary weavers, like their mothers andgrandmothers before them, often achieve positions of great respect in theircommunities. Basketry also continues toprovide significant income for skilled weavers.No longer viewed solely as ethnographic specimens or souvenir art,Native-made basketry has entered the realm of fine art. Basket makers today sell their wares at powwows,art galleries and museum shops. Increating their art, Native weavers continue a living tradition that strengthensthe link between past and present.
Materials
Sources
Materialsused in basketry vary, depending upon the type of basket being made, itsintended function, the tastes of the maker and the materials available. A basket used for heavy loads would usestiff, sturdy material such as cedar withe or cedarroot. A container made to fold flatrequires flexible material such as spruce root.A basket made for sale and not intended for actual use can useespecially fine, thin or delicate materials in its construction.
Some of themore common materials used in basketry include cedar bark, cedar root, spruceroot, cattail leaves and tule. Elements used for decoration includemaidenhair fern stems, horsetail root, red cherry bark and a variety ofgrasses. These materials vary widely incolor and appearance. Some have a matte surface, while others, such as redcherry bark, appear shiny.
Gatheringand Processing the Materials
Most rawmaterials used in weaving are harvested or gathered at specific times of theyear. This ensures that the materialsare collected when they are best suited for weaving. Weavers understand the growing cycles of thenatural materials they use and recognize when a tree or plant is ready forharvesting. Often, special prayers aresaid or songs are sung by the weaver while she gathers and processes hermaterials.
Most materials are collected in thespring or early summer. This includesgrasses, which must be picked at just the right time. If it is too early in the season, certaingrasses are too soft or narrow for weaving.Other kinds, such as reed canary grass, need to be harvested before theplant blooms. Catherine Pascal, a
We pick it along the highway up the valley before itblooms. After it blooms, it’s nogood. Then we steam it or put it inboiling water and leave it on the line for a whole week. Then we cut it up all in bundles and put itaway till we use it (Steltzer 109).
The bark of both red andyellow cedar is gathered when the tree sap is running, normally between Apriland July. The sap allows the bark to bepulled off easily from the tree. Toobtain a long, even length of bark, the weaver makes a horizontal cut into thetree several feet from the ground, then pulls the barkaway from the tree. As the strip travelsup the trunk, the weaver backs away from the tree. The strip, usually a few inches wide, isremoved from the tree with a twisting motion.As long as only one or two strips are taken from the same tree, theremoval of the bark will not harm the tree.
Onceremoved, the outer cedar bark is removed from the inner bark by folding andpeeling the bark by hand. Stubborn spotson the bark may require the use of a knife.It is the inner bark which is used for basketry. The inner bark is washed, dried and gatheredinto bundles. It can now be stored forlater weaving projects.
Spruce or cedar root can begathered at any time of the year, although cedar root is often collected in thespring, at the same time when the bark is harvested. Roots growing along a beach or sandy riverbank are easiest to collect. The mostpreferable roots are long, straight and even.Roots are carefully pulled from the ground by hand or with the help of adigging implement. This task requirespatience and physical strength. In order not to harm the trees, usually only one root is removedfrom each tree.
After theyare gathered, the roots are bundled and heated over a fire. After heating, the roots are unbundled andpulled through a split wooden stick which removes the outer bark. The roots are then split one or more times, rebundled and stored until needed.
If properlyprepared and stored, materials can be kept for years before use. Although stored dry, materials are soaked inwater before they are used in weaving.This makes them pliable and easier to use. While the basket maker is working, theweaving materials and the object being made are constantly moistened to keepthem flexible.
DyeingMaterials
Grasses aswell as roots, bark and stems are sometimes dyed before they are used inweaving. There are a number of naturaldye sources which provide a wide palette of colors. Red can be obtained fromwild cranberries, nettle, hemlock bark, alder bark, alderwood and sea-urchin juice. Lichen, wolfmoss and Oregon grape root provide yellow.Salal berries are a source for dark bluecolor, while copper oxides provide a green-blue pigment. Purple hues can be obtained fromhuckleberries and blueberries.
Anilinedyes, introduced by European traders in the late 1860s, provided brightercolors and a wider color range than most natural dyes. Many weavers switched to commercial pigmentswhen they became available, producing baskets with vibrantly coloreddesigns. Today, some weavers choose touse commercial pigments for dyeing weaving materials, while many others preferto use natural sources for dyes.
The Declineof Natural Materials
One problemfacing many contemporary weavers is the decline of certain raw materials usedin basketry making. This scarcity is duein large part to the destruction of natural habitat where raw materials arefound. Clear-cut logging removes oldgrowth cedars which supply the best tree roots.Wetland areas, a rich source for many weaving materials, have beensubject to pollutants and draining which kill off or reduce the plantlife. The introduction of invasive,exotic plant species has also negatively affected many indigenous plants. Additionally, some of the best gatheringplaces for basketry materials have restrictions on their use. Weavers may be unable to collect or harvestthe materials they need in such places.
WeavingTechniques
There are three main weaving techniques: coiling, plaitingand twining. Basketry of the
Coiling
Coiling isa technique which involves sewing. Afoundation material (such as split root bundles) is coiled upwards and stitchedinto place. A pointed tool called an awlis used to pierce a hole in each coil.The sewing element (such as the shiny outer surface of a split cedarroot) is then threaded through the hole and sews that coil down to the coilbelow it.
Coiledbaskets can be woven so tightly that they hold water. In the past, coiled baskets were also usedfor cooking.
On the
Plaiting
Plaiting,also known as checker weave, is a straightforward technique in which the weftcrosses over and under one warp at a time.When a plaited object is flat, such as with a mat, it can be difficultto distinguish the weft from the warp.
When theweft passes over or under more than one warp at a time, it results in adecorative pattern known as twilling.Plaiting can also be done a diagonal, or bias, weave.
Many twinedbaskets start with a plaited bottom. Theweft and warp of the plaited bottom can be split into smaller pieces and becomethe warp of the basket sides.
Twining
Twining isa technique in which two wefts cross over each other between warps. There are numerous variations of twining,including variances in the number of wefts, the number of warps crossed by thewefts and the angle of the warps. Eachof these variations changes the surface appearance of the object.
Colordesigns on twined basketry can be achieved with false embroidery or overlay.Both these techniques add a third, colored weft to the usual two wefts. False embroidery is only incorporated intothe outside wefts, making the design visible only on the outer surface of theobject. False embroidery slants in anopposite direction to the rest of the twining.The name of this technique is based on the definition of trueembroidery, in which decorative material is added to the surface of an object after it has been completed. False embroidery is added to the surface ofbasketry during its making.
Overlaydiffers from false embroidery in that overlay’s extra weft is woven into boththe outside and inside wefts of the object.Depending on the overlay twining technique used, the design may or maynot be visible on the inside surface.Unlike false embroidery, overlay slants in the same direction as therest of the twining.
Designsand Decorations
Not allbasketry is adorned. Clam baskets andbaskets used for cooking, for example, are usually undecorated. Many other types of basketry, however, havedesigns or motifs. Designs can be addedwith imbrication, false embroidery or overlay. Designs may also be painted on the exteriorsurface of an object after it is completed.Additionally, variations in the weave can create patterns and raisedtextures which form designs.
The designsoften give clues as to who made the basket.Certain motifs are associated with particular tribes or geographicareas. The form of the basket may alsoreveal clues about its maker. Below area few examples of basketry styles which are associated with specific peoples.
Wasco and Wishxampeoples are from the
Wasco/Wishxam basketry is knownfor stylized human faces and figures which represent ancestors or the “oldones.” (“Wishxam”is pronounced “wish-ram,” with the “r” at the back of the throat, like a French rolled “r.”)The manner in which the figures are depicted is sometimes called “x-raystyle” due to their skeletal appearance.The ancient roots of this design style can be seen in a precontact pictograph of a being known as Tsagaglalal (pronounced “tsa-ga-gla-lal”and meaning “She-Who-Watches”), located near
The most familiarform of Wasco/Wishxam basketry is a flexible, cylindrical, twined containerknown as a Sally bag. Although there are numerous interpretations explainingthe origin of this name, there is not one definitive explanation. In the Wishxamlanguage, this basket is called akw’alkt.
Twana
Speakers of the Twana languageare the Twana, Skokomishand Quilcene peoples.They come from western
Twana weavers are best knownfor producing soft twined baskets which feature a horizontal band of animalswoven just below the rim. The animalsmay include birds, wolves and dogs.Although they appear very similar, images of dogs and wolves can bedistinguished from each other by the position of their tails: dog tails pointupwards, while wolf tails point downwards.
Large zigzags may also feature prominently in Twana weaving. Thisis not a pattern unique to Twana weavers, however;many other basket makers, including Klickitat, Nisquallyand
Makah and Nuu-chah-nulth
The home of the Makah people isthe northwestern tip of
Reflective of their whaling heritage, Makahand Nuu-chah-nulth basketry often includes images ofwhales and canoes filled with whalers.These images originally appeared on whaler’s hats, but later wereincorporated into twined baskets, mats and basketry-covered bottles
made for sale. Whales are sometimes shown being chased orharpooned by a canoe-full of hunters.While most of these images show the traditional style of boat used bywhalers, some baskets include images of steamboats or other modern watercraftaiding in the hunt.
Thewhaler’s hat is a distinctive form of basketry found among Makahand Nuu-chah-nulth peoples. A sign of high rank and prestige, it can beeasily recognized by its conical shape topped by an onion-shaped knob. Drawings made in the 1700s by Europeanexplorers show Makah and Nuu-chah-nulthchiefs wearing this style of hat.
The Haida are from the
off the coast of
insoutheastern
Haida weavers have long used simple, solid, horizontal
bands to adorn their twined spruceroot basketry. The basket
shape is usually cylindrical.
Haida artists weave these baskets upside down. The
basket can be supported on a stakewith a wooden form inside.
This style of weaving results in the jog (see glossary) going up
to the right.
Tlingit
The Tlingit are from southeastern
Tlingit basketry is known for geometric designs which
appearin horizontal bands around the body of the basket.
These designs often have descriptive names such as “leaves
of the fireweed” or “mouthtrack of the woodworm.”
Most Tlingit basketry is twined from finely split spruce
rootand decorated with false embroidery using grasses or fern
stems. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Tlingit weavers
werepraised in many tourist guidebooks as the most skillful
basket makers on the
Unlike Haida weavers, Tlingit womenweave their
basketsride-side up, resulting in a jog which goes down to the right.
Activities
Weave a Plaited Basket
1. Cut all theway around the outside edges of the “X” shape.
2. Turn the “X”over and fold (but try not to crease!) one flap along the line that is madewith dots and dashes ( ).
3. Cut alongthe three solid lines toward the center rectangle. Stop when you come to the first solid line. Do this for all four flaps. Unfold the flaps. Now you have the “warps” for your basket.
4. Turn thepaper over again and fold and crease along the broken lines ( ). Leave the flapsso they point up toward the ceiling. Canyou see the beginnings of a basket? Good!
5. Take a long,thin strip of a paper (called the “weft”) and weave it all the way around thebasket, passing first over and thenunder each warp. If you crease the weftat the corners, it will help youform the basket shape. Tape or glue theweft’s ends together where they meet, and cut anylong ends off with your scissors.
6. Repeat Step5 with your other two paper strips, alternating where you go over and under the warp (see illustration).
7. Show offyour basket to your friends!
A Twana Basket
Twana peopleare from western
Follow these steps to design your own Twana-stylebasket:
1. First, drawa row of wolves around the top ofthe basket (keep the wolves within the heavyblack lines).
2. Next, drawwhat you think “crow’s shells” looklike. You can put this design anywhere on the basket.
3. Now add thedesign “boxes.”
4. Finally,draw some “flounder beds” on yourbasket.
A Haida Hat
The Haida arefrom the
Two designs used by Haida weaversare called “spider’s web” and “snail’s tracks.” Draw what you think these designs look likeon the hat below.
TlingitBaskets
The Tlingitare from southeastern
Tlingit weavershave names for the different designs they use.The baskets below have a design name written underneath eachbasket. Based on the design name, drawwhat you think the design looks like. Tomake these Tlingit-style baskets, draw your design ina band (shown by the dotted lines) around each basket.
“path of the woodworm”
“shaman’s hat”
“fish flesh”
Design YourOwn Basket
Glossary
awl: A pointed tool used in making coiledbaskets. The awl pierces a hole in eachcoil to allow the sewing elementto be threaded through and sewn down to the coil below. Traditionally made of bone, today awls are often made from metal.
burdenbasket:A type of basket worn on the back and used for carrying large or heavy loads.
chevron: A geometric design elementshaped like the letter “V.”
coiling: A basketry technique inwhich a foundation material (such as split root bundles) is coiled upwards and sewn into place.
crest: A family emblem which isconsidered owned property. Crests areused by central and northern
falseembroidery:A technique used to decorate twined baskets in which a third, colored weftelement is incorporated into the outerwefts. These designs are not visible onthe inside of the object. False embroidery slants in an oppositedirection to the rest of the twining.
geometric: (as in “geometric figures”or “geometric designs”) Design elements which feature geometric shapes such as squares, triangles,diamonds, chevrons or zigzags.
imbrication: A technique used to decoratecoiled baskets in which the decorative material is folded under each sewing stitch on the outersurface of the basket. The design is notvisible on the inside of thebasket. Imbricationfolds on a basket resemble rows of corn kernels.
jog: In twined and coiledbaskets, a transition from one row of stitches to the next row. A jog can be up or down to the right or left, depending on how the basket was made (Haida basketry, for example,usually jogs up to the right; Tlingit baskets jogdown to the right).
overlay: A technique used to decoratetwined baskets in which an additional, colored weft is incorporated into the other wefts. The resulting design may or may not bevisible on the inside of theobject, depending on whether full- or half-twist overlay is used. Overlay design slants in the same direction as the rest of the twining.
pigment:Colorsobtained from natural or commercial sources. Natural pigments can beobtained from berries, roots,bark or minerals. Commercial pigmentsoften provide more vivid colors than those madefrom natural sources.
pitch: The lean of the wefts; thedirection in which a stitch slants (up to the right, for example).
plaiting: A technique in which theweft strand crosses over and under one warp strand at a time. Also knownas checker or checkerboard weave.
potlatch: An important
precontact: In First Nations history,the period of time prior to European contact.
Sally bag: Cylindrical, flexible,twined bags made by Wasco/Wishxam weavers.
start: The beginning weavings of abasketry object (starts can be seen on the bottom of baskets or the tops of hats).
tule: Also known as bulrush, thistall, thin plant is used in the construction of mats and bags.
tumpline: A carrying strap attached toa basket which allows the basket to be carried on a person’s back.The tumpline is worn across the forehead or chest.
twilling: A variation of plaiting ortwining in which the weft crosses overmore than one warp at a time. This variation in the weave results in diagonaldecorative patterns.
twining: A basketry technique inwhich two horizontal strands (wefts) cross over each other between vertical strands (warps). There are a number of twining techniques,including three-strand, twilledand wrapped twining.
utilitarian: Made for a specific use,rather than made solely for aesthetic reasons.
warp: In twined weaving, warps arethe vertical elements. In coiling, warprefers to the foundation of coils.
weft: The horizontal element whichcrosses over warps in twined weaving (also known as “woof”). In coiling,weft refers to the sewing element.
withe: The thin, strong andpreferably long branches which hang down from the main branches of a tree such as cedar. Withes are used for making burden baskets, baskethandles and rope.
woof: See weft.
Recommended
AmericanIndian Basketry Magazine. Vols. I-IV (1980-85).
Bierwert, Crisca. Sahoyaleekw: Weaver’sArt.
Emmons, George T. The Basketry of the Tlingit and the Chilkat Blanket.
Jones, Joan Megan. The Art and Style of WesternIndian Basketry.
Kuneki, Netti, Elsie Thomas and Marie Slockish. The Heritageof Klickitat Basketry: A History and Art Preserved.
Lobb, Allan. Indian Baskets of the
Marr, Carolyn J. “Salish Baskets from the WilkesExpedition.” American Indian Art Magazine 9:3 (Summer 1984): 44-51, 71.
-----. “WrappedTwined Baskets of the Southern
-----. “Basketry Regions on
Nordquist, D.L. andG.E. Nordquist.Twana Twined Basketry.
Paul, Francis. Spruce Root Basketry of the
Porter, Frank W., III, ed. The Artof Native American Basketry: A Living Legacy. NY:
Schlick, Mary Dodds.
Stewart, Hillary. Cedar.
Thompson,
Turnbaugh, William A.and Sarah Peabody Turnbaugh. BasketTales of the Grandmothers: American Indian Baskets in Myth and Legend. Peace
-----. Indian Baskets.
Wright, Robin K., Ed.A Time of Gathering: NativeHeritage in
“TsimshianBasketry.” In Tsimshian: Images ofthe Past, Views for the Present.Margaret Seguin, ed.
AdditionalResources
“. . . and Women WoveIt in a Basket.” Bushra Azzouz,Marlene Farnum and NettieJackson Kuneki.
Documentary video on the lifeand work of Klickitat weaver Nettie Jackson.
Baskets ofthe Northwest People: Gifts from the Grandmothers. Mimbres Fever.
Two-part video on basketryfrom throughout the
Wildwoods Crafts and BasketKits.
Basketry kits includeinstructions and all materials. “PineNeedle Basket Kit” and “Coiled Style Basket” are two of the available kits.
Kunstdame.
Paper models of four
Most of these items are available from the
Bibliography:
Emmons, George T. “The Whale House of the Chilkat.” Anthropological Papers of the American
Harless, Susan E., ed. Native Arts of the Columbia Plateau: TheDoris Swayze Bounds Collection.
Holm, Bill. Spirit and Ancestor.
Jones, Megan Joan.
Laforet, Andrea. “Regional and Personal Style in
Marr, Carolyn.“Continuity and Change in Basketry of
Oberg, Kalervo. The Social Economy of the Tlingit.
Schlick, Mary Dodds.
Steltzer, Ulli. Indian Artists at Work.
Stewart, Hillary. Cedar.
Wright, Robin K., Ed.A Time of Gathering: NativeHeritage in
Specialthanks to Robin K. Wright, Susan Libonati-Barnes,Katie Bunn-Marcuse, Dawn Glinsmannand Deborah Swan for their comments, suggestions and information.
burden basket
storage basket
tourist art basket
activity: match type with suggesteduses
Klickitat style with loops at top - what do you think theseloops were used for?
what kind of material would youwant to use to make the loops?
clam basket:
You and your brother are at the beach gathering clams. You need something to store the clams in, butyou will also have to rinse the sand off the clams once they have beencollected. The clams will also beheavy. What kind of basket would workwell for your needs? Would you want abasket with a tight weave or a loose weave?Would a tight weave allow water to drain from the basket? Do you think you would need a soft basket ora hard basket to hold all your clams?Which might offer more strength?Why? What materials do you thinka hard basket might be made from?
Cooking basket:
watertight
flexible storage container:
You and your friends are out gathering blackberries
What kind of basket would you want? Would you want a large or smallcontainer? Would you want the weave tobe loose or tight? How would you keepyour hands free for berrypicking while still keepingthe basket close to you?
How would you protect the picked berries from the sun? (flexible basket which can be folded over at the top, thusprotecting the berries from the sun and insects)
A small picking basket was used to collect berries; thissmaller basket would be emptied into a larger, sturdy basket worn on the berrypicker’s back.
GALLERY EXPLORATION FOR ENTWINED WITH LIFE
FINDTHE AREA LABELLED “USING BASKETS”
List 2 uses for baskets.
_________________________________________________________________________
FINDTHE AREA WITH THE DISPLAY OF WEAVING MATERIALS
List three materials used in basket making.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
FIND THEAREA LABELLED “WEAVER’S ART”
The artists who made these baskets used many differentdesigns or patterns in their work.
Can you find the following items which have been used indecorating a basket?
______ a human hand
______ a whale
______ a walrus head
______ a flower
______ a television set
FIND THEAREA LABELLED “STUDYING BASKETS”
Find the largest basket in this area. What people made this basket?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Find the smallest basket in this area. What people made this basket?
__________________________________________________________________________________
What do you think each of these baskets might have been usedfor?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
What is your favorite basket in this exhibit? Who made this basket? What would you use this basket for?Draw a picture of the basket.
