Patterns and Meaning

There are many patterns seen on Native American baskets. Many of them reflect natural objects or are simple geometric patterns. While some patterns have meanings or tell stories, not all designs have meanings. Patterns are also stylized according to the culture of the weaver. There are even differences seen in the same pattern between villages of the same cultures.

The rattlesnake design is seen mainly in the Cahuilla culture since other cultures had superstitions about weaving that particular design. The rattlesnake design is interesting because it is not a symmetrical pattern.

The whirlwind is another design seen often in Cahuilla baskets. It represents the cycle of life: birth, growth, parenting and death.

Another natural object seen in basketry patterns is lightening. The basket on the left is Cahuilla and the basket on the right, with the negative image of lightening, is Pomo.

Another technique seen in basketry is the use of negative images. The Cahuilla basket below has two sets of negative images.

EUROPEAN INFLUENCES

European contact with the Native Americans added new designs for weavers to experiment with. Some of the non-traditional designs included hearts, text and rabbits in the Cahuilla basket shown below. Often the baskets with non-traditional designs were woven specifically for selling.

Background image courtesy of Agua Caliente Cultural Museum.