Basket

According to Sto:lo/Nlaka'pamux Elder Minnie Peters this type of basket was used by men. They wore them on their backs like packs and kept knives and poisoned arrows in them. This type of basket was also used by medicine men for spiritual items. According to basket makers from Mount Currie this basket is a sheet music container used by members of brass band.

basketry

Diamonds are associated with good luck. The chevron designs represent flying geese, while the designs in the middle represent arrows.

Part (a) Tall, narrow coiled basket (with bifurcated stitches), with flanged lid, part (b). Parallel splint base and lid construction. Two strand twisted wool handle sewn on to basket in orange and blue, with red pom poms on ends. String through front. Fully imbricated in cat-tail grass, with "flying goose" pattern, in vertical rows, alternating rows of red and black cherry bark. One vertical row of black chevrons between two lines sit between two rows of "flying goose". Same on back and front. Side feature elongated diamond shape in black cherry bark. Cherry bark beading on rim. The lid features elongated diamond shapes, alternating in red and black cherry bark, with tips of diamond shapes located along the rim.