Norma Antone, Tohono O´odham (Papago) Weaver

Norma Antone from Tohono O´odham (Papago) is one of the more famous basket weavers producing miniature scale basketry using horsehair as the material.

In 1983, basketry specialist John Gogel interviewed and photographed Norma Antone and her "fantastic horsehair miniatures." Norma then had six years of experience, starting at the young age of thirteen. Born in 1964 at Chuichu, near Casa Grande, AZ, she inherited a tradition mastered by her grandmother. Norma began by weaving traditional yucca baskets. She watched her mother and aunt, and they helped her. She soon changed her materials to horsehair, a style developed in 1960s.

John Gogol praised Norma Antone (1964- ) highly: "Norma Antone is certainly the friendliest and most open of all basket makers I have met."

Reference: American Indian Baskets I: 1,500 Artist Biographies by Gregory Schaaf.  Photo courtesy of Gregory Schaaf.

Relative Links: Tohono O´odham (Papago), Native American Baskets