Transcript Native American Art - Utah Education Network

Native American Art
Baskets
the oldest art form
Native American Art
 Baskets
Basketry is probably the
oldest and most widespread craft and art
developed by the native
American Peoples.
Baskets can be made
from many kinds of
materials, but generally
plant stems, either whole
or split, are used.
Native American Art
 Baskets
The stems or stalks are
peeled for the bark or
interior fibers, or root
fibers and leaves and
grass stems are used.
Baskets can be woven
out of almost anything,
but it requires great skill
and much knowledge.
Native American Art
 Baskets
The roots, stems, bark,
leaves and flowers of
different plants produce
the broad range of
colors in most baskets.
Identical plant materials
gathered in different
seasons may produce
different colors.
Native American Art
 Baskets
Some basketmakers use
commercial dyes to obtain
colors not available from
plants or to alter or intensify
the effects produced by
vegetal material. But most
basketmakers today prefer
to produce their colors in
traditional ways or experiment
with plants near their homes.
Native American Art
 Baskets
Basketmakers must
know which plants in
their area are suitable,
where they grow, their
special properties, the
best season to gather
them, and how they
must be processed
and stored.
Native American Art
 Baskets
This knowledge is
passed down from one
generation to the next when to collect leaves,
roots, stems, flowers or
seeds - how to prepare
colors or fibers boiling, drying,
combining with other
ingredients.
Native American Art
 Baskets
This Papago Coiled Plaque was crafted
by Thesesa Andrews Atohono O odham ,
the Desert People of Southern Arizona
& Northern Sonora. The Tohono O odham
People have been making baskets for
utilitarian purposes for hundreds of years.
Baskets like these were used for gathering the Saguaro fruit harvest,
winemaking, gathering and storing seeds and nuts. They are now made
primarily for retail sale. This design is a classic and complex squash
blossom. It is coiled with fiber foundations of bear grass and closely
stitched with yucca. The design detail is done in devils claw.
Native American Art
 Baskets
devils claw
Devil’s claw is also called the Unicorn Plant. The Tohono
O’odham of southern Arizona have cultivated a variety of
devil’s claw, P. parviflora var. hohokamiana, that possesses
several unusual characteristics. Instead of black seeds, the
plants produce white seeds, which germinate more quickly
than the wild species. In addition, the dried capsules are
longer, up to 15 inches, and more flexible than nondomesticates. Ethnobotanists believe that this domestication
is one of only a handful that occurred for wild native plants
north of Mexico. Furthermore, it appears that women were
responsible for this process. When cattle became
widespread in the desert, O’odham women, who used the
pods in their basketry, started to plant devil’s claw in
protected areas to prevent livestock consumption. Over
time, they chose seeds that produced the longer capsules
and seeds that germinated faster. This is "plant wifery."
Native American Art
 Baskets
Yucca link
This yucca has been dubbed the soaptree yucca because
of the soapy substance found within its roots. Native
Americans were the first to use the soaps to wash their
hair, bodies and clothes. They also noticed its ability to
relieve sunburn and minor inflammation from scratches
and cuts. Cattle ranchers would
sometimes feed yucca to cattle during
draught as an emergency food. Every
part of the yucca plant can be used.
Native tribes use parts of the plant for
basket weaving, sandals, ropes, belts,
crafts, food, and dyes for rugs, fibers and
art. The buds, flowers and stalks are
edible, raw or cooked.
Native American Art
 Baskets
This Navajo basket was
woven of sumac by Elsie
Holiday, whose mother-inlaw taught her how to
weave. Most basket
makers are taught by their
relatives - parents,
grandparents, aunts or
uncles.
Native American Art
 Baskets
Navajo baskets were
almost a lost art. Stories
are how American
Indians passed their
knowledge to their
children. This oral
tradition is in most
Indian art. This basket
has lessons about
snakes.
Native American Art
 Baskets
Mary Holiday Black has trained 9 of
her children to make baskets. Mary
has received many national awards.
She says “There are many basket
stories. If we stop making the
baskets, we lose the stories.”
Each ceremonial basket has a
story & a song which are part of
a healing, wedding, to bring rain,
or for other important events.
Native American Art
 Baskets
The tradition of basket
weaving was passed
down to this artist, whose
basket tells the Story of
Emergence into the world.
It explains the break in the
rings in the center of
many designs.
Native American Art
 Baskets
to learn more:
Thanks to TWIN ROCKS TRADING
POST - NATIVE AMERICAN BASKET
MUSEUM and store in Utah for sharing
photos, stories, legends, & art.
Native American Art
 Baskets
to learn more:
Thanks to Heard Museum in Arizona,
and its online shop and bookstore, for
sharing photos and information.
Native American Art
 Baskets
Plant information and photos are from the:
NAU Virtual Paleoethnobotany Manual,
Twin Rocks Trading Post,
Heard Museum, &
DesertsUSA.com
Native American Art
Baskets
the oldest art form
© 2004 Art History
Electronic High School
Utah State Office of Education
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