Hopi Basket Weaving

"With the inborn wisdom that has guided them for so long through so many obstacles, Hopi men and women perpetuate their proven rituals, strongly encouraging those who attempt to neglect or disrespect their obligations to uphold them. One of these obligations is to respect the flora and fauna of our planet. The Hopi closeness to the Earth is represented in all the arts of all three mesas, whether in clay or natural fibers. What clay is to a potter's hands, natural fibers are to a basket weaver."--from the Introduction Rising dramatically from the desert floor, Arizona's windswept mesas have been home to the Hopis for hundreds of years. A people known for protecting their privacy, these Native Americans also have a long and less known tradition of weaving baskets and plaques. Generations of Hopi weavers have passed down knowledge of techniques and materials from the plant world around them, from mother to daughter, granddaughter, or niece. This book is filled with photographs and detailed descriptions of their beautiful baskets--the one art, above all others, that creates the strongest social bonds in Hopi life. In these pages, weavers open their lives to the outside world as a means of sharing an art form especially demanding of time and talent. The reader learns how plant materials are gathered in canyons and creek bottoms, close to home and far away. The long, painstaking process of preparation and dying is followed step by step. Then, using techniques of coiled, plaited, or wicker basketry, the weaving begins. Underlying the stories of baskets and their weavers is a rare glimpse of what is called "the Hopi Way," a life philosophy that has strengthened and sustained the Hopi people through centuries of change. Many other glimpses of the Hopi world are also shared by author and photographer Helga Teiwes, who was warmly invited into the homes of her collaborators. Their permission and the permission of the Cultural Preservation Office of the Hopi Tribe gave her access to people and information seldom available to outsiders. Teiwes was also granted access to some of the ceremonial observances where baskets are preeminent. Woven in brilliant reds, greens, and yellows as well as black and white, Hopi weavings, then, not only are an arresting art form but also are highly symbolic of what is most important in Hopi life. In the women's basket dance, for example, woven plaques commemorate and honor the Earth and the perpetuation of life. Other plaques play a role in the complicated web of Hopi social obligation and reciprocity. Living in a landscape of almost surreal form and color, Hopi weavers are carrying on one of the oldest arts traditions in the world. Their stories in Hopi Basket Weaving will appeal to collectors, artists and craftspeople, and anyone with an interest in Native American studies, especially Native American arts. For the traveler or general reader, the book is an invitation to enter a little-known world and to learn more about an art form steeped in meaning and stunning in its beauty.

The methods of Indian basket weaving explained in this excellent manual are the very ones employed by native practitioners of the craft. Members of the Navajo School of Indian Basketry have set down their secrets in clear and simple language, enabling even the beginner to create work that can rival theirs in grace, design, and usefulness. The text begins with basic techniques: choice of materials, preparation of the reed, splicing, the introduction of color, principles and methods of design, shaping the basket and finishing. A great variety of baskets and weaves from many cultures are described in subsequent chapters, such as Lazy Squaw, Mariposa, Toas, Samoan, Klikitat, and Shilo, each accompanied by specific instructions. There are suggestions for the weaving of shells, beads, feathers, fan palms, date palms, and even pine needles, and recipes for the preparation of dyes. Examples of each type of basket are illustrated by photographs, often taken from more than one angle so that the bottom can be seen as well as the top and sides. Close-up photography of the various types of stitching, especially at the crucial stage of beginning the basket, is an invaluable aid to the weaver. In addition, the authors have provided line drawings which are exceptionally clear magnifications of the various weave patterns. Anyone who follows the lessons contained in this book will have a knowledge of basketry unattainable in any other way. They are so lucid and complete that the amateur as well as the experienced weaver will be able to manufacture baskets distinguishable from authentic native articles only in that they were not woven by Indians. For those who merely seek a broader knowledge of American Indian arts, the book provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject of basketry.

This new and original survey details the beautiful styles and designs of woven plaques and baskets made by Hopi women artists of Third Mesa in Arizona. It presents 67 different design categories through over 475 color photographs. The history of the Hopi people, weaving materials and techniques, different uses of the baskets and plaques, and their values today all are dicussed. Explanations of the named pattern designs, including Sunflower, Wedding Basket, and Dragonfly, as well as unnamed and the coveted Katsina plaques are given. This valuable refereance enables readers to more easily identify old and contemporary examples in private collections, museums, and art galleries.

Everything there is to know about traditional Native American basket weaving. Native American basket weaving is an intricate and powerful art, representative of the legends and ceremonies of the Indian nations and their cultures. George Wharton James’s Indian Basketry is an invaluable aid for the artist, designer, craftsman, or beginner who wants to recreate authentic and often extinct basket forms and decorative motifs of the Native American peoples. Filled with 355 illustrations and photographs of Native American basket weavers taken at the turn of the twentieth century, this pioneering study—first published in 1901—provides in-depth information about specific aspects of Indian basketry, including: • Its role in legend and ceremony • The origins of forms and designs • Materials and colors used • Weaves and stitches • The symbolism and poetry woven into each basket • Preservation • Tips for the collector • And much more! From Yolo ceremonial baskets to Oraibi sacred trays, Indian Basketry traces the origin, development, and fundamental principles of the basket designs of the major Indian tribes of the southwestern United States and Pacific Coast, along with comments on the basket weaving of a number of other North American tribes.

Table of Contents Introduction Materials for Making the Baskets Cane Base Traditional Patterns Stakes By stakes Weavers Foot border Waling Upsetting Simple Randing Pairing Joining Weavers Trimming the Ends Maintaining the Finished Articles Some Traditional Patterns And Projects Making a Base Materials You Will Need Examples – Cross design Popular Traditional Latticework Design Cane Fruit Basket Plaiting Handles Chair Seat Conclusion Willow Basket Fish trap Smaller baskets Author Bio Publisher Introduction Traditional cane basket weaving Basket work, basket weaving, or making containers out of cane is possibly one of the earliest crafts known to man. Archaeologists have found traces in digs, more than 7,000 years old in the Middle East, and anywhere where ancient civilizations settled. These vestiges of baskets showed that these people used baskets as the molds for clay cooking pots. That was because the imprint of the basket weave showed clearly on the clay. Plaited basket work has also been found in the Nile Delta some of which date back as early as 8000 BC. Many museums all over the world have a priceless collection of engine basket work usually shown along with ancient and early poetry and the common factor seems to be that baskets have always been made of any material available that is pliable, native, and the design and the type is going to be largely dependent on the availability of the material. The moment anybody talks about a basket you subconsciously associated with bringing home the shopping as these are nearly always used for carrying or holding things. In fact, I would not be surprised if you have one or 2 of these woven examples in your own house in the shape of lobster pots, especially if you are a looking fisherman, potato baskets to hold vegetables, especially if you are a farmer, decorative baskets for crediting a wine bottle, containers to hold flowers and fruit, containers for your table to hold bread rolls, wicker baskets, waste paper baskets, work baskets, lampshades, baby cribs, pet baskets, picnic campers, and houseplant holders… The uses of such baskets are global and infinite bound only by your creativity and imagination! This book is going to tell you all about how you can introduce yourself to this new satisfying craft, and start basket weaving when you have some leisurely time and energy over the weekend. You are definitely not going to be disappointed at the really attractive and soul satisfying final product and who knows, this may be a start of a beautiful new business!

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Most complete survey of Indian basket-making describes uses of baskets, their role in ceremony, origins of designs, materials and colors, weaves and stitches, plus full how-to instructions. 355 illustrations.