Gathering Basket

Description: 

New, oval, bundle construction, coiled basket. Imbricated, geometric design one side only., height: 9"; Diameter: 7",

Cultural Narrative: 

I made this basket, it’s a medium sized berry picking basket. There are three different sizes and it has coiled cedar root, bear grass and cherry bark. The background is beading, plain bear grass. The designs are dyed wild cherry bark (that is the brown) and the black is beargrass dyed black. The designs are triangular, geometric designs. When you have three that go up like that it means it’s a butterfly. When you fill up the basket with the berries, the looped rim works so you can put something through it. The design is only on the front that is more traditional now. In the Methow band the women all had their own designs and are all passed down. They were very strict with the designs, very protective with the baby boards, baskets, and moccasin designs. Elaine Emerson