Understanding Climate Change through Indigenous Basketry
Plants and Tools Used in Making Tohono O'odham Baskets
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* What plants would you want to use to weave a basket? * Why would you choose those? Refer back to the Plants of Arizona activity to figure out where you might find those plants.
Soaptree Yucca (Yucca elata)
The sharp-tipped leaves are split and used in coiled and plaited baskets. Harvested in the winter, the leaves are green. When collected after the summer rains, the new-growth leaves are lighter and will become whiter when left in the sun to bleach. Tohono O’odham coiled baskets are stitched with this yucca. Hopi basketmakers use a similar but botanically separate yucca species (yucca angustissma).