NATIVE AMERICAN ~ HOPI ~ PIKI TRAY / BASKET ~ AUTHENTIC ~ EXTREMELY RARE ~ MESA

Description

You are bidding on an vintage authentic Hopi Indian Piki Tray / Basket.
Purchased in
Arizona
many years ago and this has been part of my Native American collection.
It has been kept under glass all these years.
The tray is used specifically for serving the traditional thin blue corn Hopi bread called Piki Bread.
The tray is in great condition and measures 13 1/2" long and 16 3/4" wide.
This tray comes from the
Mesa
of the Hopi Reservation located in
NE Arizona
.
When I purchased this basket to be part of my collection... I was told that the Hopi woman work all year making baskets to use for the Hopi Basket Dance.
THE HOPI BASKET DANCE
Hopi ladies are covered with red robes with a black and white border are in a circle.
Each held a finely woven basket with both hands and they all moved in a uniform dance motion back and forth.
In the center of the circle were many more baskets, gifts, foods, and house wares all piled up and ready to be distributed freely among all the people attending.
With their songs, the ladies appeared to be praying and giving thanks over these gifts.
Then two woman would run all through the crowd, weaving in and out of the dance circle,     picking up the gifts, and as they ran through the crowds they would throw the gifts high up     into the air before returning to the circle to get more.
The crowds swarmed around the dance circle but never entered it.  Only these two ladies who ran about through the crowds would enter it to distribute the gifts.
Their faces were painted yellow and they appeared to be wearing ceremonial head dresses.
Whenever they ran through the crowds, they would throw gifts high into the air, and people would scramble all around, hoping to catch something.
Many of these gifts were traditional and very expensive finely woven Hopi baskets that many cherish.
This throwing out of gifts went on all afternoon.
People came and went, eating, drinking, and having a happy time.
ABOUT THE HOPI:
The
Hopi are
a
Native American tribe
, who primarily live on the
Hopi Reservation located in
NE Arizona
.
The Hopi Reservation is located in northeastern
Arizona
. The Hopi Reservation is completely surrounded by the Navajo Reservation. Within the Hopi Reservation are three Mesas which contain Hopi Villages: First Mesa (Walpi, Hano and Sichomoivi), Second Mesa (Shongopavi, Mishongnovi,Shipaulovi, and Third Mesa, (Hotevilla, Bacavi, Moencopi, Kykotsmovi and Oraibi. Hopi Indian Basket weavers gather plant materials, using the natural background to contrast with their vivid designs. Hopi Native American basket makers use three basic techniques: plating (cradle boards and Piki trays), wicker (Third Mesa) and coiling (Second Mesa).
The
Hopi
observe
their
traditional ceremonies for the benefit of the entire world.
ABOUT THE PIKI TRAY / BASKET:
The piki tray is made with yucca and three leaf suumac branch. the design is of the sifna ( belly button), the beginning of life symbol. Piki trays are used for serving the blue corn wafer piki bread. The symbolism and tradition in Hopi basketry designs link each unique handmade basket to other parts of Hopi life, past and present. In particular, basketry designs reflect aspects of Hopi religion and agriculture. For the Hopi, just as the basket's fibers are woven together, so are all the pieces of Hopi culture: none is unrelated to another.
Basketry has been indispensable to Native Americans and represents one of the oldest crafts known to mankind.
Basket weavers have created some of the most striking pieces of art that are first and foremost utilitarian. Although basketry has been around for centuries, it is widely agreed that it is one of the first Indian arts and crafts to die out in many tribes.
The Native American basket is perhaps the oldest invention of Native American culture. Fragments of baskets and other weavings are found in the earliest sites of the “ancient ones”, those peoples thought to be the predecessors of today’s modern Puebloans who left their dwellings and mysterious painted symbols on stone and vanished. Originally utilitarian, Native American Indian baskets were used for cooking, carrying, and storage, but as with all utilitarian items of the Native Americans, they were also an expression of art and Tribal identity. At the turn of the century, Native American Indian baskets began to be woven for trade as well as for tribal ceremony. Being made of organic materials, few antique Native American Indian baskets survive.
Hopi Native American Baskets are symbolic of Hopi Life past and present, religion, dances, rainmaking, corn harvest and rites of passage.
Today, while many
Pueblo
peoples no longer weave baskets, Hopi women continue a centuries-long tradition of basketry.
Please view all photo's and please let me know if you need any additional pictures.
This comes from a pet free & smoke free home.
SHIPPING:
Your purchase will be carefully packaged & shipped to you via the US Post Office, unless otherwise requested by the purchaser.
We strongly suggest adding insurance on any breakable items.
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