The Native American people formerly known as
Papago (the Bean People) live in Southern Arizona and Northern Mexico,
within the Northern Sonoran desert region. While they now use their
preferred name, Tohono O’odham (Desert People), it is common to find the two
names used interchangeably.
The Tohono O'odham people are generally
considered to be the largest commercial producers of southwest Native
American basketry. In the past, these baskets were primarily utilitarian in
nature. Today they are produced commercially as art forms and decorations.
The sale of these hand-made baskets is extremely important for the Tohono
O’odham people for economic survival. Unlike other Native American tribes,
there are hardly any other sources of income within their tribal lands.
The materials for these baskets are usually
gathered from local native plants, then cleaned and otherwise hand-prepared
by the weavers. The most common styles of weaving are the coil and the
split-stitch. In the coil, bundles of grass are wound into spirals, wrapped
and then “stitched” together using bleached yucca leaves. The native plant
Devil’s Claw provides the natural black color often used to contrast the
bright color of the yucca. Devil’s Claw is used sparingly, as it is harder
to find. Also, it is interesting to note that dyes are rarely used in Tohono
O’odham basketry.
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TOH-001
Javelina
9"wide
$94
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TOH-002
Large Jar - Irene Antone
8"tall x 7"wide
$199
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TOH-008
Oval Plaque - Jenny Rona
12 1/4" x 10 3/4"
$188
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TOH-009
Jar - Mary Smith
6" tall x 6 1/4" wide
$94
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TOH-010
Lidded Basket - Jenny Roman
5 1/2"wide x 4/14" tall
$113
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