Bent Elbow Basket

Summary: 
A wide elbow basket with red designs on the arms and a bent handle.
Description: 

A river cane elbow basket with wide mouth openings on either side of the V shape, with both openings having the double rim edge. There is red dyed river cane woven in a staggered, alternating method. The handle of the basket was created with a sharp angle. There are dark stains on both sides of the basket, keeping with the name of asaala pakofka.  

Cultural Narrative: 

The river cane elbow basket was purchased from Andre Wilkinson from M.R. Harrington in 1908 when he visited the Coushatta community as a part of his travels through the Southeastern region of the United States. His notes from this visit state that he purchased the basket for $.25 and that the basket was used for berries. Harrington recorded the name for this basket as "asala pakofka", pakofka being the Koasati word for bent, referring to the handle of the basket.