Basket, Mohawk - basket with lid

http://dp.la/api/items/a3a2d0ff133d65179ca90d483afcae45

Basket, Mohawk - basket with lid

McDonald, Rita

This Mohawk Basket with a bow on the lid uses a shell weave (Katsiskaienitoton). The shell weave reminds us of our relationship to water creatures. This weave is also known as popcorn weave. Purple is an important color in Mohawk culture and its use suggests wampum. It also includes a wampum motif (i.e. friendship chain) horizontally and uses sweetgrass on the rim of the lid. Traditionally, Mohawk baskets are made with two natural materials: Sweetgrass and Black Ash Splint. Black ash logs for the splint are located in summer and harvested in fall and winter. Sweetgrass is picked by women in the summer (each strand is individually picked). Basketmaking is predominantly a winter occupation “Fancy baskets” achieved their prominent position at the end of the 19th century, as a tourist industry emerged. Basketmakers particularly expanded their repertoire from functional work baskets to more “fancy,” decorative collectibles: vases, sewing tools, planters, wall pockets, scissors cases. A lacy scalloped edge reminds of the sky dome or the mounds of earth on which are planted corn, beans, and squash. Fancy baskets proliferated with tourism: vases, sewing items; sewing baskets, hampers, comb baskets, etc., were made for sale to non-Native shoppers. The use of both sweetgrass and narrow splints provide an opportunity for unlimited combinations of materials and allows great freedom of design and surface decorations. Artist Biography: Rita McDonald, born April, 1938, learned to make baskets from her mother by watching and by “being around baskets”. Her mother was known for knitting and shopping baskets and clothes hampers – some hampers as large as three foot tall. Rita continues to make those types of baskets. Rita’s father was a maker of utilitarian baskets, making pack and laundry baskets. Rita has taught the skills to her grandchildren who are becoming accomplished basketmakers

Basket making

Baskets

Folk art

Folk artists

Empire State Digital Network

http://cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/crandall/id/621

Empire State Digital Network

Basket making

Baskets

Folk art

Folk artists