Heritage & Culture

ᏔᎷᏥ ᏕᎬᏍᎬ ᎣᎩᎲᎢ Weaving our Heritage: Cherokee Baskets

Basket weaving is one of the oldest forms of material culture, dating back thousands of years. Its practice among indigenous people sustainably uses—and honors—the natural materials that make up their environment. Cherokee baskets are made of rivercane, white oak, maple, or honeysuckle and are dyed with local plant materials. Today’s Eastern Band of Cherokee people live in western North Carolina and continue to maintain their time-honored traditions, while expanding their artistic voice to inclu