ʔuuktisyak maamaaʕin (Pattern Basket)

Basketry was traditionally used for domestic purposes, storage, and transportation of goods. Baskets had value as potlatch gifts and after European contact as trade and sale items. Acquired or traditional designs are recorded by the weaver on the pattern basket. The weaver could then stitch count the design when weaving other baskets.

This basket was made specifically for sale and took 19 days to make.

Domestic trade

Base is checkerwork with plain and wrapped twining. Walls are wrapped twined weaving.

Cylindrical pattern basket. Walls decorated with multicoloured figurative patterns: six arrows running around the rim, three deer, two beavers, five eagles, three canoes each with five people, seven whales, three fish, one whale eating a canoe, and one whale chasing four fish. Base has square of cedar bark checker work weaving at center surrounded by three rows of plain twining; wrapped twining completes base.