Lecture to Unravel Stories Woven Into Native Baskets August 24, 2008

John Low, a member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, will discuss the personal stories and communal symbolism woven into Native American baskets on Sunday, August 24, 2008, at 1 p.m. at the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, 3001 Central Street, Evanston.

In a lecture titled Baskets as Containers of Culture, Low, the museums executive director, will delve into the autobiographies communicated by these baskets and the ways in which they convey their stories.

Baskets weave narratives about their creators and the communities from which they originate, Low says. Those stories survive long past the lives of their makers. Through the production of these and other hand-crafted items, American Indian peoples assure the survival of their cultures, histories, and heritages.

According to various reference sources, basket-weaving is one of the oldest-known Native American crafts. Archaeologists have identified some baskets from the Southwest as being nearly 8,000 years old.

Different tribes use different materials, weaving techniques, basket shapes, and design patterns. Pounded ash splints, braided sweet grass, bundled pine needles, river-cane wicker, coiled sumac, willow wood, cedar bark, and birch bark are some of the basketry materials used in different regions of North America.

Admission to the talk is free with an entrance donation to the museum. Suggested donation is $5 for adults; $2.50 for seniors, students, and children. Maximum suggested admission per family is $10. For information, phone (847) 475-1030. On the Net: www.mitchellmuseum.org.

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of natsilv.