North America, United States, Great Lakes/Woodlands region
Culture:
Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), North America, United States, Great Lakes/Woodlands region
Style:
20th century
Physical Description:
Birchbark basket with lid and leather handle. Darker design around rim of scalloped edge. Lower body of basket has animal and plant motif (beaver, birds and rabbits).
Credit:
Collection Minneapolis Institute of Arts; The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund
In the Ojibwe culture, it has always been important to make objects that are used everyday as beautiful as possible. They believe that the making of things is due to the respect of the Great Spirit. The Ojibwe people gather things from their environment and incorporate them in their design which makes them unique. For example, a container might be made of birch bark and then decorated with flowers that grow in that area. That way, the container was both useful and beautiful.