Basket Item Number: Nd671 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Coiled (with bifurcated stitches) basket with handles and raised foot. Imbrication of red cherry bark along rim and beaded along foot of red cherry bark. Imbricated repeating pattern of three arrows in orange/brown, yellow and black. alternating in checks forming upside down triangles.

History Of Use

Carrying basket used for transporting and storing materials. It was carried on the back with a head or breast strap. Every household had at least one. They were used to carry a wide variety of goods and materials, such as water, stones, firewood, roots, fruits, seeds, textile materials, fish and game. Women and girls both made and used these baskets. Family wealth was partially correlated to the number and quality of these baskets. It was a great asset for a women to be able to produce high quality baskets.

Narrative

Designs originally depicted legends, now depend on the buyers taste. Symbols relate to aspects of Interior Salish cosmology. This Lillooet style basket was given to Prof. Borden by Christina Charles who came from Squamish and lived at Musqueam. It was collected between 1940 and 1978.

Item History

What

Name
Basket
Identification Number
Nd671
Type of Item
basket
Material
dye, cherry bark and spruce root
Manufacturing Technique
dyed, coiled, imbricated and beaded
Overall
height 7.5 cm, diameter 27.5 cm

Who

Culture
Interior Salish: Stl'atl'imx
Creator
Cecile Smith ? (Maker)
Previous Owner
Charles E. Borden
Received from
Charles E. Borden (Donor)

Where

Holding Institution
MOA: University of British Columbia
Made in
Mount Currie, British Columbia, Canada and Pemberton, British Columbia, Canada

When

Creation Date
before 1978
Collection Date
before 1978
Ownership Date
before March 5, 1979
Acquisition Date
on March 5, 1979

Other

Item Classes
basketry
Condition
poor
Current Location
Case 34
Accession Number
0515/0009