Creative Focus
Photo, Home Page: Judy Meek at BE Artists Gallery in Banner Elk. Above: Rivercane basket at Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc.; Eva Wolfe, Indian Arts and Crafts Board photograph. Photo courtesy of Qualla Arts & Crafts Mutual Inc.
Gathering up History in the Tradition of Basket Making
By Elizabeth Baird Hardy
If we want to carry, contain, or measure items, we generally have a host of possible tools that can serve our purposes, from cardboard boxes to glass bottles to plastic cups. Throughout human history, across the globe, and right here in Appalachia, many of those needs were met by an object far more durable than a paper bag and infinitely more beautiful than a plastic tote: the woven basket. The utility, artistry, and legacy of basket-weaving is an integral element in the history of Appalachian culture, particularly among the Cherokee, whose enduring relationship with basketry is currently being celebrated at the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum.
Basket-making is one of the oldest human arts, with evidence of its practice dating back thousands of years. From Africa to Polynesia, humans have used organic materials to create an array of woven forms. In North America, baskets were frequently utilized by indigenous people, but few have a history as intimately connected to baskets as that of the Cherokee. “The Principal People,” or “Ani’yun’ wiya’,” as they historically referred to themselves, have a rich mythology full of marvelous feats performed by animals, like the great buzzard whose wingbeats formed the mountains and valleys of Appalachia where the Cherokee roamed and lived. One of the most treasured of these stories is that of the water spider. When fire arrived in the world, it fell on an island, and no one could reach the fire and transport it across the water to the people. Then, the water spider traveled to the island and wove a basket to carry the fire on her back, protecting it from the water. She brought the fire safely back across the water to share it. So beloved is that original clever basket-weaver that the water spider continues to appear prominently in Cherokee art and signage, like that for the recently updated Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee, NC.
Honoring the female water spider is just one reason why women were traditionally responsible for basket construction among the Cherokee. Primarily using rivercane, for centuries they created an array of baskets for both ceremonial and utilitarian uses. With the arrival of European settlers, new elements entered Appalachian basketry. Relying heavily upon white oak splits for their baskets, the settlers brought their own techniques and styles. The Cherokee began integrating additional materials, particularly white oak, and gradually more men became engaged in the craft of making baskets. Although often labor-intensive, basket-making was an activity in which many people were engaged, some merely to create a necessary item from readily available resources; others, however, shaped those necessary items into intricate objects of beauty. Among both Cherokee makers and those who came after, specific communities and families developed their own specific methods of construction and weaving patterns. Styles may identify specific regions of basket-making and even specific makers.
For the next few centuries, Appalachian people continued to rely upon baskets as vital tools, using them to carry chickens and eggs to market, to organize household items, and to store apples, onions, and potatoes. Baskets were often useful trade items, and new designs and traditions came into the region with travelers and settlers. As a more “disposable” worldview began to find its way into the mountains, baskets became less essential to daily life. Fortunately, the art of basket-making continued, and many artists found their work appreciated by a new audience.
The early twentieth-century folk arts and crafts revival led to an interest in baskets that provided traditional basket-makers with a market for their work. In addition, fireside industries, such as the very successful programs in places like Berea College, promoted the work of traditional craftspeople and allowed the art of basket-making to be passed along to those who wished to learn. Basket-making became a popular hobby in Appalachia and beyond as those who no longer had to rely on the basket for its practical uses continued to appreciate its value as an art form and as an enjoyable craft. Appalachian craft fairs and similar events usually include at least one booth selling locally made baskets, sometimes with the maker there to demonstrate the clever process of weaving the strips of wood or vine into intricate designs and structures.
Even as modern basketry brings in colors and designs that are very different than those of the past, there is still a strong interest in the collection and preservation of antique baskets and the skills that were used to create them. Today baskets are often viewed as more decorative than utilitarian, but their history is woven into their continued popularity. The demand for more decorative items has encouraged many traditional artists in the Qualla Boundary of western NC, particularly women, and basketry continues to serve an important cultural and artistic role among Cherokee basket-makers.
Celebrating the extraordinary history and continuing legacy of Cherokee basket-weaving, the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum is currently hosting ᏔᎷᏥ ᏕᎬᏍᎬ ᎣᎩᎲᎢ Weaving our Heritage: Cherokee Baskets, an exhibition that opened July 18 and which will be open until February 13, 2027. The exhibit features work by over a dozen celebrated Eastern Band of Cherokee basket-makers, including Geraldine Walkingstick and Eva Wolfe. Several of the artists are family members, a testament to the strongly family-oriented nature of both Cherokee culture and the art of basket-weaving. The artists on exhibit represent an array of interpretations of the traditional art of Cherokee basket-making as well as evolving approaches. Admission to the museum is always free, so residents and visitors are encouraged to come and experience this remarkable exhibit, curated by Anna Fariello, who has devoted over thirty years to cultural preservation in Virginia and North Carolina. In addition, on October 13-17, artist Betty Maney, whose work is featured in the exhibit, will be joining BRAHM for a residency that will include a lecture, weaving technique demonstrations in the gallery, and visits to art classes at both Appalachian State University and Watauga High School.
While we may no longer rely on baskets for transporting goods to market or keeping produce in the root cellar, learning about this ancient and essential tool can certainly lead to a greater appreciation for baskets and for the incredible artists who continue to create them. Today, while we generally think of baskets as decorative items, understanding more about their critical role in the past and the process required to make them may inspire us to look more closely at those baskets that hold our magazines, bread, and napkins or which appear at Easter and Christmas.
Once, these humble, yet beautiful containers were absolutely essential to the people of Appalachia, and now they may serve as a reminder of those people, of their resourcefulness, and of their creativity.
To learn more about the Cherokee Basket-weaving exhibit at BRAHM, go to www.blowingrockmuseum.org/see/weavingourheritage. Find locally handwoven baskets for purchase at art galleries throughout the High Country.