(upbeat music) (guitar music) - Basketry is one of the oldest art forms practiced around the world.

They are both functional and decorative.

Today, we're going to take you on an adventure where you'll learn all about the history of baskets in Georgia.

Then we'll even show you how to make your own basket using common household materials.

While you learn all about baskets from our historian, Jenna, let's gather the materials you need to make one yourself.

All you need are these common household items: a paper plate, preferably a thin and flexible one, a pair of scissors, a round object, and a ruler for tracing, yarn, a paintbrush, glue and a pencil or pen.

- Today, we're going to focus on Georgia and two communities with unique basket traditions that contribute to Georgia's past and present.

The Cherokee and the Gullah Geechee people both contribute to Georgia's history and illustrate how the movement of people away from their homelands has influenced today's communities in Georgia.

Because baskets are a craft of the heart of so many cultures.

They provide a touchful piece of the community that represents the people themselves.

The Cherokee are an American Indian tribe that lived in North Georgia until the 1830s, when they were forced to move to Oklahoma on the trail of tears.

The oldest material used in traditional Cherokee baskets is river cane.

To make a basket from river cane.

The plant is split into thin pieces that are tightly woven to produce intricate patterns.

These are dyed various colors using native plants such as black walnut and pokeweed, the natural dyer materials produce the traditional color palette Cherokee baskets are known for.

After the Cherokee were moved to Oklahoma, they began to use a new material called buck brush.

At first, this material and technique was not welcomed by the Cherokee but they found a way to make the baskets unique to them.

Both the buck brush and river cane baskets use a technique called double weave.

Modern baskets are made with similar materials and artists use commercial dyes to create bright colors.

Traditionally, Cherokee women were the tribes basket weavers, and many stories connect basket weaving with motherhood.

Today, anyone is welcome to weave baskets.

Let's go check in with Anne.

- Now that you've gathered all the materials that you need to weave your basket.

Let's get started.

Take the round object and place it at the center of your paper plate to trace a circle to be the base of your basket.

Next, mark the edge of your paper plate with 11 evenly spaced markings.

If you have a smaller plate, you should use less markings like nine or seven, but make sure that it's an odd number and that they are evenly spaced like this.

Next, use your pencil or pen and a ruler to draw a line connecting each marking to the inner circle.

Next, use your scissors to cut along each line to create a V shape.

While you're working on your basket, let's go check in with Jenna and learn about Sweetgrass baskets.

- Gullah Geechee people are descendants from West Africans who were enslaved on plantations along the east coast.

The isolation of the sea islands led the Gullah Geechee to keep a deep connection to their native culture.

And they are most widely recognized for their sweet grass baskets.

This basket style dates back to the 1600s.

The technique involves bundling and coiling the material, more like sewing than weaving.

Like the Cherokee, the Gullah Geechee used native materials.

After the end of slavery, artists started using pine needles and sweet grass; that allowed for more creative designs like loops and handles.

Historically older people were the basket weavers, women made the functional baskets while men made the decorative baskets.

Like the Cherokee basket weavers, anyone in the Gullah Geechee community can weave a basket today.

While these two baskets may look different.

They have an important thing in common, both river cane and sweet grass are in danger of being wiped out.

Also there's a struggle to attract young people to the art forms.

With each passing generation, there are less basket weavers.

Many of today's artists will be the last in their family.

Let's see how Anne's basket is coming along.

- Thanks Jenna.

Now let's keep working on our basket.

Take each of your flaps and fold them inward to create the walls of your basket.

Now, check to make sure that none of your flaps are overlapping like this.

If they are then take your scissors and cut along the V to make it wider so that your flaps are no longer overlapping, like this.

Next you're ready to start weaving your basket.

So grab your yarn.

You'll take the end of the yarn and slide it through one of the flaps.

Make sure to leave a tail that you can hold onto to keep the yarn in place as you get started weaving.

As you weave, going alternatively behind and in front of each flap, make sure that you push up on the flap when you weave behind it to begin forming the walls of your basket.

If you would like to change colors, all you have to do is cut your yarn and tie on the next color.

Make sure that you leave plenty of space, so that the knot doesn't come undone because you will be able to trim it later.

(upbeat music) Stop weaving when you get to about a quarter of an inch from the tips of your flaps of paper.

Then go ahead and cut your yarn and fold down each flap so that it holds your yarn into place.

Next, go ahead and trim any tails of yarn that are in your way.

Then, get out your glue and your paintbrush because you're going to apply a thin layer of glue to the base of your basket.

(upbeat music) Now get your yarn and you're going to spiral it on the bottom of your basket to create the base.

(upbeat music) - We hope that you enjoyed this activity.

Now you have your very own basket to display as art or to use to store items.

It is so important to keep these traditions alive because it helps us to connect our past and present so that we can build a brighter future.

- [Jenna] There are places in Georgia, you can visit to learn more about the Cherokee and Gullah Geechee.

Check out the basket weaving page on new south portal to the past for more information.

So keep on exploring and experiencing history through art because cultural heritage belongs to everyone.

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