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Southwestern Native American Basketry

Southwestern Native American Basketry

Southwestern Native American BasketryBaskets serve many functions in a traditional Tarahumara household. A basket may be used to store corn, beans or a number of other things. As the floors of most Tarahumara homes are dirt, baskets help keep personal items organized and clean. There are generally two types of baskets; The first and most common being of yucca or sotol. These are used constantly in everyday life.

The second type of basket is fashioned from pine needles and is most common in the higher elevations where pine trees are prevalent.These baskets are quite small and delicate. The yucca baskets are made in a variety of sizes and shapes. In the mountain country, the guari type is most commonly found. These baskets are usually a singl weave and are round at the top and somewhat square, with four distinct corners, at the bottom. The petaca is traditional to the canyon regions. It is round with a lid and frequently double woven.

As the baskets can be quite bulky, the guari in particular, are often made in graduating sizes so they may be nested. The baskets are all made by twill plaiting, which results in a diagonal design. The basketmaker uses only her hands and teeth to fashion the basket, although the leaves are sometimes run across a stone to dull their sharp edges before they are worked.

Aug 27th 2015 Mission Del Rey

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