Wastebasket

Marian John, a member of the Coushatta tribe of Louisiana, fashioned this basket from longleaf pine needles (native to the state) and raffia. The Coushatta have woven baskets for centuries. The earliest baskets were used either as trade goods or as containers to transport food. To create her pieces, John dries the pine needles for three months to ensure all the moisture is out. She then wraps the needles with raffia and, using only a sewing needle, creates the stitch design.