n'oo'o (Basket)

Basketry filled a vital need as containers for storage domestic use and transportation of goods. Some had multiple uses; others were made for specific functions. After European contact, used for trade and sale items. Forms have been altered to meet European tastes. Basketry making was and is a women's art.

domestic storage; cooking; transport

Birch bark was cut to size, steamed, folded and sewn at corners. Wood rim is lashed with spruce root, outside scraped to decorate.

Oval shaped birch bark container with tapered, almost square base; sides flare outwards. Rim reinforced with a bent twig lashed with spruce root. Stitched together at narrower sides with spruce root. Dark inner bark on the outside of the container has been scraped away in places to form a design of lighter colour. Design consists of two horizontal bands, each band consists of five scraped rows; two outer rows with triangular motif extending outwards, three inner rows straight and narrow. Note: bottom band on one side has only two inner rows. Rim has seven to eight wraps of green coloured spruce root at endpoints and two to three wraps of red coloured spruce root divided by two wraps of natural spruce root at midpoints.