BASKETRY
Western Apache—Arizona and New Mexico
Case No. 13:
At one time it was not difficult to identify Apache Basketry by tribal name, such as: San Carlos, Chiricahua, Tonto, and Yavapai. Today it is not possible to identify baskets as belonging to a particular Apache tribe.
During the nineteenth century these southwest tribes waged continual warfare with the Anglos and Spaniards who had settled in the area. Attempts were made by the United States government to establish treaties. However, newly written treaties were broken before the ink dried! About 1880, the army rounded up all the Apaches of Arizona and New Mexico and took them as prisoners to the San Carlos Reservation. There they remained confined for several years. During this period of confinement the basket weavers copied designs and weaving techniques from one another.
When the tribes were released and allowed to return to their respective reservations the “new” styles of basketry were continued. As a result of this situation, today we find baskets woven by these tribes to be so similar in appearance that definite tribal affiliation cannot be determined. They are therefore classified only as Western Apache baskets. (See [Plate 13a])
DATSOLALEE
1918
Washoe—Western Nevada
Case No. 3:
This basket was made by Dabuda (Young Willow). She was later given the nick-name of Datsolalee (Broad in the Hips) and is best known by this name since later in life she tipped the scales at 350 pounds.
On March 26, 1917, Datsolalee started weaving this specimen which is fifty-two inches in circumference and has more than 100,000 stitches (more than thirty to the inch). Eleven months later, on February 16, 1918, she completed this basket which is her greatest masterpiece. Although made for ceremonial use, the shape is that of a food bowl. The white background is made of peeled twig from the Mountain Willow; the black color is the root of a Bracken, or giant fern; the reddish-brown is bark from the Nevada Redbud. To her the design meant: We assemble to discuss the happy lives of our ancestors. Shortly after the completion of this basket the weaver lost her eyesight. She died at the age of 95 in 1926.