Basket Item Number: 2911/4 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Round, coiled basket with lid. The basket flares slightly up toward the rim. The sides are decorated with a continuous zigzag stripe of imbrication in dark red, light brown and black. The base has a few strips of dark red imbrication. The lid is round with a raised knob and has a four lobed flower pattern in black, light brown and dark red imbrication.

History Of Use

Lutia Bidin was the mother of the donor. The Bidins 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.

Narrative

Possibly made by Sophie Frank? The diamond, triangle and star patterns are similar to hers (according to a Squamish Language Group attendee, Nov 2022).