Basket Item Number: 2911/1 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Rectangular cedar basket with lid and two handles. The basket is straight sided, but flares slightly toward the top. Two long cedar handles are attached at both front and back and hang down across the shorter sides. The basket is decorated with an imbricated six point star on each side. The lid is flat with a rim that fits inside the basket mouth and is decorated with a central imbricated diamond.

Narrative

Lutia Bidin was the mother of the donor, Rina Honderich. The Bidins had immigrated to Canada in the early 1900s, and moved from Deroche, BC to Woodfibre, BC c. 1918. Rina remembered women from Squamish canoeing over to Woodfibre to trade with her mother. Her mother would trade things like knitted socks, clothing and mats that she had made, for baskets that the Squamish women had made. Each would make a pile and when both sides agreed the exchange would take place. The baskets were used during the daily life of the family.