Baskets

It is truly remarkable that basketry is still produced in even limited quantities in the modern Southwest. Basketry is the oldest surviving craft yet is at the bottom of the economic totem pole. Even at today’s prices only a handful of the best weavers make more than $5000 a year. Additional hardships face the few grand old ladies who, for some reason or another refuse to give up their traditional art form. Materials which were once very common on the reservations are now scarce. Willow, bear grass, yucca, devil's claw and other traditional materials have basically disappeared because changes in land and water use have changed their environments. Finding the proper materials is hard but finding them at the right time is also difficult. Gathering the material too soon or to late will make them almost impossible to work.

In addition, many individual weavers have not received the attention they deserve. Perhaps the main reason for the lack of individual recognition is that a large percentage of today’s better weavers are older women who were raised in very conservative homes. While it is socially acceptable to excel, it is considered highly improper to boast or become vain about one’s accomplishments.

Prices of contemporary baskets are determined by a number of factors. Among the most important are the overall aesthetic appeal, fineness of weave, type of material used, shape, and complexity of design, relative scarcity, size and tribal origin. The main tribes still active in basket weaving in the Southwest today are Tohono O’ Odam, Hopi, Apache, Ute and Navajo.

Picking Up A Basket -Never let anyone pick up your basket by the rim or with one hand. Always pick up a basket with clean dry hands by the base --or center bottom-- and support it with both hands. Even sturdy baskets can be damaged by holding the full weight of the basket by a small section of rim alone.

Do Not Coat Basket in any Substance- At one time some collectors shellacked their baskets in an attempt to "preserve" them. Coating with any substance is unnecessary and can, in fact, significantly reduce the value of the basket. A few old baskets have been found that were dipped or rubbed in oil, presumably to keep them from becoming brittle. This not only unnecessary but attracts dirt and dust to the basket.

Cleaning- A feather duster is the best way to dust a basket. For spot cleaning use clean cold water and a white 100% cotton cloth, blot the dirty area gently; let basket air dry completely. Soaking a basket in water can result in the swelling and popping of stitches. Contact a professional for deeper cleaning.

Quick Tips- Place baskets away from heater vents. Place baskets away from direct sunlight which can fade baskets. Avoid areas where water condenses on surfaces. Baskets kept in damp places (especially in storage) for long periods can develop mildew discoloration--nearly impossible to restore. If baskets are to be stored for some time be sure the storage sight is free of insects and rodents. Be sure the baskets are professionally packed in bubble wrap and Styrofoam peanuts and double box fragile baskets.

Hopi basket weavers use three major weaves; plating, wicker weave and coil weave. The materials basically used in Hopi basket weaving are galeta grass and yucca, which may be splint into very fine elements to form a firm and very round foundation. The Hopis use partially bleached yucca to obtain a yellow color, or the inner leaves of the yucca to produce a natural green. With the addition of dyes black and red or red-brown, the basket makers have a variety of colors. Yucca is one of the most widely used native plants. The long leaves are gathered in the summer and bleached in the sun, usually until they are white.

Wicker weave is one of the three major type of weave used by the Hopis. This weave is a process in which one or several stiff vertical elements (warps) are crossed by one or more less stiff horizontal elements (wefts). The basket maker maintains these positions as she constantly turns the evolving basket. Hopi wicker basketry is woven on third mesa, in the villages of Hotivilla, Bacavi, Kykotsmovi, and Oraibi. The material used for warp is usually sumac, and rabbit brush for weft, and yucca for securing the rim. There are three basic forms or shapes- plaques, bowls, and wastebasket fashions. Plaques are important in ceremonial use as well as in trade. Plaques are used as interracial??? of the Hopi wedding ceremony. Before the wedding a female relative of the bride make a large number of plaques to present to the groom’s family. The plaques brought to the groom’s house are called “husband’s repayment plaques”. This is repayment for the bride’s wedding robes, which are woven by the male relatives of the groom.

One of the three major type of weaving is Coil weave. In this weave the warp can be varied in composition but is stationary and horizontal. The weft, which is single and vertical, envelops the warp and is caught or sewed into the preceding coil to form the continuous and joined fabric of the basket or plaque. Hopi coiled basketry is woven on Second Mesa in the villages of Mishongnovi, Sipaulavi, and Shungopavi. However, coiling is more a sewing process than it is true basket weaving. The basket maker uses an awl to pierce a hole at some point in the preceding coil, then secures the current wrapped coil to it by passing the mocking weft through the hole. Sometimes she may also use her fingers or teeth to aid her. In these weaving techniques, the weaver keeps turning her sewing direction counter clockwise. That is, she sews from her right hand toward her left hand. The Hopi basket maker sews so tightly that is it sometime difficult to count the stitches.

Plating is the simplest weave; it is a process of crossing warp and weft elements at right angles in order to from a basket structure. The Hopis produce the most versatile plaited basketry in form and design and is made on all three mesas and in all villages, both for personal use and for sale or trading. Diamonds or squares are favorite Hopi plated design.

Basket Weaving became nearly extinct among the Navajo in during the 20th century. Hindered by a complex set of cultural taboos which dictated the conditions under which a woman could weave, enticed by more lucrative crafts - rug weaving, for example - and introduced to the superior, cheaper containers of the white men the Navajo quickly found several reasons to cease weaving baskets. However, because some ceremonial uses of baskets couldn't be replaced by modern metal or glass counterparts, the Navajo's need for baskets never completely died. They simply outsourced. Piute and Ute neighbors, who had no cultural restrictions placed on their weaving, happily produced baskets of Navajo design to sell, and thus the state of Navajo basket weaving continued for a century.

Around 1970 classes began at different schools and community centers once again teaching Navajos how to weave. Encouraged by commercial success the craft spread to different parts of the reservation where it quickly evolved and grew. Today numerous Navajo craftsmen (or women, more accurately) weave baskets in a variety of styles using an array of methods different methods.

Of all the basket producing areas of the Southwest, the Tohono O'Odham (sometimes called Papago) are the most prolific. Located in the Southwest of Arizona, Tohono O'Odham have consistently produced some of the finest basket weavings for centuries.

The most distinctive characteristics of Tohono O'Odham basketry are construction, materials, and design. Tohono O'Odham baskets are coiled and very often exhibit a split stitch, meaning the splints used to bind the coils split one another, creating a distinctive 'V' shaped stitch. The materials used are almost invariably yucca or devil's claw for the splint, and bear grass bundles to create the coil. Designs may by repeated variations on the split stitch, creating a white and green contrasting pattern, or a weaver may create more elaborate designs using black devil's claw. Common patterns are the "man in the maze" pattern, large squash blossoms, repeated zigzags, and a number of other repeated geometric patterns.

While coarse twined burden baskets are still woven today, Apache fine coiled willow basketry on the three rod foundation died with the Great Depression of the 1930's. By the late 19th century the Industrial Revolution had produced cheap pots and pans so labor intensive basketry was no longer practical or necessary culturally so most baskets made during the 1880-1930 era were made for resale. There was no economic incentive to spend months weaving fine basketry in the new inflationary economy. Apache children were sent to government schools and discouraged from traditional weaving.

Visually, Apache baskets are striking with strong contrast in color and bold geometric or pictorial motifs. Being on a three rod foundation makes the baskets tight, stiff and sturdy with no bend to them, and yields rounded well-defined coils that stand out.

Burden Baskets are the most popular Apache baskets made today. Most of the Burden Baskets today are made of willow or sumac and finished off with commercial leather. Since the Apaches were once nomadic hunters and gatherers, the women wove these baskets to carry firewood, roots and berries. The tassels were made from deer or cow skin, mainly for ceremonial or decorative uses. Two of the theories why the tin was placed on the tassels are: to warn creatures away while gathering, or for a son-in-law to show respect by getting out of his mother-in-law's way.

Horse Hair Baskets are made by both the Tohono O'odham and Pima Native American tribes. Each basket, made usually in miniature, represents many hours of patience and intricate artistry. Although horse hair is a newer and nontraditional material to weave with, it has become a significant form of basketry. Each piece is unique and collectable. Although most horse hair baskets are made in miniature they reflect the same shape, design, and style of a full sized basket.