HOLD - Native American Basket: Navajo Wedding Basket : Basket 8

Basket 8 : Navajo Wedding Basket The Navajo wedding basket, also known as a ceremonial basket, is not just for newlyweds. The basket is a life chart. In the very center symbolizes the emergence from the prior world. Then the white coils represent birth and light. As the white coils move outward black begins to show up. Black represents struggles and darkness in life. Once the red begins it signifies marriage, the mixing of blood between spouses, children without darkness. Eventually darkness comes, yet it is interspersed with light which signifies enlightenment. The very outside edge, which does not have any darkness signifies the spirit world. The line from the center to the outer rim signifies that no matter how much darkness you may encounter in life there is always a path to the light. The Navajo Wedding basket is a coiled, woven basket made from willow, which is bundled together with stitching made from split willow or sumac. Many of these colors come from natural dyes such as c