Display a Native-made basket with its maker and story

A basket made by a Native artist belongs in a home as a work by that artist, not as a generic “Southwestern” accent. Choose a piece you value and can identify, then plan its display around the object rather than a stereotype about the maker’s community.

Buy with accurate attribution

Ask the seller for the artist’s name, tribal affiliation if the artist shares it, materials, and a written receipt. The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Indian Arts and Crafts Board advises buyers to get the maker and affiliation on the receipt and explains that false claims of Indian production are unlawful. Do not assume that a style name verifies a maker.

Sources: U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Arts and Crafts Board: Consumer Tips

Give the basket a useful place

Choose a stable shelf or table where it will not be crushed or used to carry damp items. Keep the maker’s card with the object, and tell visitors who made it if the artist has provided that information. If a basket is sold as an art object rather than a household container, ask the maker or gallery whether handling or filling it is appropriate.

Learn the specific work’s context

The Smithsonian’s basket exhibition shows named makers and varied forms from distinct traditions. Use a museum or community record for one object rather than assigning a single technique, gender role, or ceremony to every Native basket. Let the artist’s own description lead any story you share.

Sources: Smithsonian American Art Museum: A Measure of the Earth