HSU Library Special Collections catalog number 1999.02.0328

The baskets of Northwestern California are prized the world over. This stunning collection shown in the Brizard store illustrates the artistry and skill of local native women – Wiyot, Yurok, Karuk, Hupa, Tolowa. Baskets were painstakingly crafted of grasses, ferns, tree roots and shoots. Many were so finely woven they could hold water. Designs were created from women’s dreams; a prayer was sent with each stitch. Included in this display are ceremonial caps, cooking baskets, burden and storage baskets, flour and gambling trays, plus dance regalia. At first glance, this image beautifully captures native art. Look carefully, for the hidden story is of a people trading family treasures for food and clothing. Wiyot and other Indian people continue the artistry of basket making today, weaving tradition into items of beauty and function. Baskets are no longer traded for food, or sold for pennies, but are once again used in ceremony and household activities. Baskets are both the tangible and intangible connection to ancient and sacred ways of living on the North Coast. Information provided by Hélène Rouvier, Wiyot Cultural Director. Digital restoration completed by Michelle Hernandez, Wiyot Tribe Intern.