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 Native
Americans have been making baskets as far back as 500AD and before.
The Indian artists use materials native to the areas where they
live. The Hopi Indians of Northern Arizona make coiled plaques and
baskets with yucca and wicker type baskets made of wild currant
and rabbit brush. The Pima Indians from Southern Arizona use
willow, squaw weed, skunk week, the root of the tule and devil's
claw. The Tohono O'Odham (formerly known as Papago) Indians of Southern
Arizona use Yucca and Devils claw to make a coiled basket.
A considerable amount of time and work is put into the making of
a basket. The artists must gather and prepare materials. Colors
in the past were all natural. The Navajos combined rabbit brush
and cedar ashes to  obtain
a yellow dye or boiled the leaves of sumac to set other dye colors.
The Hopis and the Tohono O'Odham use yucca bleached in the sun for
a lighter color, or the inner leaves which supply a natural green
color. Devil's claw provides the black color. Many now use aniline
dyes to create different colors. Apache baskets are especially beautiful
and highly prized. Materials most often used include willow and
devil's claw.
We have seen a decline in basket weaving which has caused basket prices to increase. Recently though, there seems to be renewed hope in a few areas to keep basket-weaving alive.
Hoel's Indian Shop will continue to offer high quality new and old baskets for sale.
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