When people of ancient civilizations needed containers, they made baskets using techniques of plaiting, coiling or twining. Each method accomplished the goal of binding grasses or pine needles tightly together. While basketry of many types and styles is known worldwide, it's the Southern longleaf pine needle variety that attracted my attention. The leaves, or needles, are the longest found in the U.S., measuring 20 inches or more. The grow on trees found in the Southern states. Before European contact, the Seminole tribe, in what would become Florida, was the first to use this natural resource to construct their carrying vessels. It is becoming a lost art form today which is the reason I was motivated to revive it. Time consuming and requiring precision, patience and dexterity, making a basket that starts life as a few needles bent in a circle is rewarding and satisfying, and connects me to indigenous women of many centuries ago who provided for their families in this way.
