Third Mesa Peach Gathering Utilitarian Basket by Mary Louise Sekayumptewa [SOLD]

This wicker basket was woven by Third Mesa weaver Mary Louise Sekayumptewa. The Hopi are resourceful farmers who manage to grow a variety of crops in an arid desert landscape.  Their primary crops are corn, beans, and squash, but they manage to grow a variety of fruits as well.  This particular basket form is commonly referred to as a “peach basket.” The Hopi name for such a carrying basket is kohoyngyapu.  These baskets have a plaited bottom just like the center of a traditional wicker tray.

This colorful peach basket features a marvelous design.  The primary elements are three arrows—or sideways V’s, perhaps—circling the vertical walls.  One is red, one is blue, and the third is yellow.  A black and white pattern circles the upper and lower rims and fills in the spaces between the arrows.  This black and white block pattern is often seen just inside the rims of plaque baskets. According to Judith W. and Andrew D. Fingers’ Circles of Life: Katsina Imagery on Hopi Basketry, these designs are believed to be representative of rain clouds.  The colors seen here are often associated with cardinal directions.  This basket, like many Hopi artworks, could be interpreted as an ode to the earth and sky from which it came.

This basket is featured on page 73 of Gregory Schaaf’s American Indian Baskets 1: 1,500 Artist Biographies.

Mary Louise Sekayumptewa is a weaver from Hopi’s Third Mesa.  Like many Hopi weavers, she learned from her mother and passed her skills down to her daughter.  She is a member of the Rabbit and Tobacco Clans.  Her works have been handled by a number of prominent galleries.

Condition: this Third Mesa Peach Gathering Utilitarian Basket by Mary Louise Sekayumptewa is in good condition

Provenance: from the large collection of Allan Nelson, an avid Native American art collector.

References and Recommended Reading:

• Hopi Basket Weaving: Artistry in Natural Fibers, Helga Teiwes

• Circles of Life: Katsina Imagery on Hopi Basketry, Judith W. and Andrew D. Fingers

• American Indian Baskets 1: 1,500 Artist Biographies, Gregory Schaaf

Relative Links: Hopi Pueblo, Native American Baskets, Mary Louise Sekayumptewa, Hopi Third Mesa Basket Weaver