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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Taupou, post: 157746, member: 45&quot;]This is a good example of a type of basket that is &quot;claimed&quot; by some specific cultures, but whose roots can be traced back to several countries and time periods.&nbsp; It might be best described as an American folk art, with a diverse background, which has now spread worldwide.</p><p><br /></p><p>The basic style, of bundled pine needles stitched together with raffia, combined with circular designs fashioned over wire forms is called &quot;Teneriffe,&quot; and is named after Tenerife in the Canary Islands off the coast of Spain. (<i>Teneriffe</i> is the old spelling of the island&#039;s name.)</p><p><br /></p><p>The circular &quot;wheel&quot; patterns had originated with lace makers in Spain in the 16th century, and spread to the Canary Islands.&nbsp; From there, it went via missionaries, merchants, traders, and sailors to South America, and then to the islands of Micronesia, where it was adapted to their local basketry made from palm fiber and pandanus.&nbsp; (Baskets apparently being more useful than lace, and palm fiber more readily available than cotton thread in the islands!)</p><p><br /></p><p>In the 19th century in the U.S., Seminole Indians were making baskets of bundles of long leaf Florida pine needles, bound with thread.&nbsp; <u>Despite the widespread claims on line, however, there is no documented evidence of any other Native American tribe traditionally making baskets from pine needles. </u></p><p><br /></p><p>Where this all starts to come together is shortly after the Civil War, when southern &quot;gentle women&quot; popularized the new fad of making baskets, trays, purses, hats, and other crafts from local pine needles.&nbsp; Raffia from Madagascar had recently become available in the U.S., and soon replaced the use of thread to join the coils, making it possible to create new types of stitches and decorative techniques.&nbsp; And then baskets brought back by sailors and merchants from the Pacific Islands inspired new styles, such as the Teneriffe.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>During the Arts and Crafts Movement, books and classes on how to make pine needle, and other, baskets started appearing.&nbsp; Missionaries on the southern Indian reservations were encouraging Seminole and Coushatta women to make baskets as a source of income.&nbsp; By the 1920s, the Coushatta Indian basket makers found that the sedge grass used in their traditional basketry was becoming scarce, so following the lead of non-Indian basket makers, they switched to pine needles, and raffia.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Today you can find instructions for making pine needle baskets on line, in books, and in kits at craft shops like Michael&#039;s and JoAnne&#039;s, and all over the country...and beyond.&nbsp; A good web reference source can be found at <a href="http://www.pineneedlegroup.com/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.pineneedlegroup.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.pineneedlegroup.com/</a>&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>So there is really no way to tell where, or by whom, this basket was made.&nbsp; Pine needle baskets sewn with raffia were first made by southern Anglo women. The round designs are Teneriffe (traced back to Spain), the center start is called a &quot;Four Leaf Pattern&quot; (popular in the Marshall Islands), the stitches joining the coils are a variation of the &quot;Tunopong stitch&quot; used in the Caroline Islands of Micronesia. The raffia is most likely from Madagascar.&nbsp; Which all helps to explain why similar looking baskets are made, and claimed, by a number of different cultures.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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