At a recent gathering of women, both Native American and White, we learned to make one style of reed basket. First, the three foot long reeds had to be soaked in water to soften them. Then we wove the basket's bottom with a simple over-under technique. The next step was to bend the reeds upward to create a right angle with the bottom. The upright reeds were then held together with a doubled twine by twisting that twine around each reed, one at a time. If we tried to work too fast, we would often leave out a reed and have to undo several twists in order to bring the "lost" one back into the body of the basket.One of the women remarked that she had missed a reed. Our teacher said, "Oh, you've left out one of your relatives!" To her and her Native sisters, the reeds represented their relatives and all must be included for the basket (or family) to be complete. This resulted in some of the women reflecting on their families, their relationships, and those who (maybe because we are too busy or living in the fast lane?) get left out or neglected.
A broken reed brought the same response. A relative has been broken. What can be done to help?
Weaving a basket is like weaving a family together. Each reed is an individual, yet "tied" to the family by the twine of love or blood. Some reeds are soft enough to bend easily. Others may get dried out and be brittle or broken. Some get left out, or leave by their own choice, and cannot be brought back in. Yet the basket/family is stronger when all are able to remain together.
We learned that patience and careful attention are necessary when weaving a basket. Patience and loving, careful attention are also very important when weaving a family. (photo courtesy of flickr/cobalt123)
