Photos by Andrea Kelley, K’ima:w Medical Center Cultural Path to Wellness.

Two smiling people hold traditional woven baskets.

Friends Winnie Chen (left) and Vanessa Bussell (right) met when they were foreign exchange students in Japan. They joined more than 80 others at the Xay Basket Weavers’ Gathering in Hoopa on Saturday to work on weaving projects. The Gathering, held on both Saturday and Sunday, was coordinated by TANF’s Project Coordinator Deborah McConnell and K’ima:w Medical Center’s Cultural Path to Wellness Project Coordinator Andrea Kelley. Xay was designed to bring together basket weavers from several generations, skill levels and Tribes to share in teaching and learning the traditional art of basketweaving.

A person holds a traditional woven baby basket, with a sleeping baby in it

Maya Trimble holds baby To:nehwa:n Oliver, who’s fast asleep in his traditional baby basket. Maya attended both days of the gathering and completed a baby rattle with guidance from one of the event’s instructors Mary Jane Aubrey.

Several people sit around a table at various stages of weaving baskets. Some of the people are receiving instruction.

Chandra Norton and Christie Vigil work on the start of a baby rattle while others learn to add sticks from Aubrey (far right) as their baskets progressed./Photos by Andrea Kelley, K’ima:w Medical Center Cultural Path to Wellness Program Coordinator.

A person provides instruction on weaving baskets

Instructor Cheriku Blake teaches a young student how to start a doll basket, which is the first step in learning how to weave full-size baby baskets like the one shown above.

A smiling girl holds a partially-woven basket

Tanna O’Rourke progresses on her basket under the instruction of her mother Kateri Masten (not pictured). Many weavers were invited to be instructors. One of the event coordinators, Deborah McConnell, said one of her goals is to encourage more weavers to become teachers.

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