Plateau Basketry: Cornhusk Bags

Cornhusk bag, Nez Perce? (side one)

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Cornhusk bag, Nez Perce? (side two)

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Cornhusk bag, Nez Perce? (side one)

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Cornhusk bag, Nez Perce? (side two)

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Cornhusk bag (side one)

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Later style cornhusk bag (side one)

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Cornhusk bag (side two)

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Later style cornhusk bag (side two)

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Cornhusk wallet, Nez Perce? (side one)

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Cornhusk wallet, Nez Perce? (side two)

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Early style cornhusk bag, Cayuse (side one)

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Early style cornhusk bag, Cayuse (side two)

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Early style cornhusk bag, Chelan (side one)

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Early style cornhusk bag, Chelan (side two)

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Early style cornhusk bag, Wishram (side one)

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Early style cornhusk bag, Wishram (side two)

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Cornhusk bag, Cayuse (side one)

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Cornhusk bag, Cayuse (side two)

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Cornhusk bag, Umatilla (side one)

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Cornhusk bag, Umatilla (side two)

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Cornhusk pouch belt, Bannock

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Cornhusk pouch belt, Bannock (detail)

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Cornhusk bag, Cayuse (side one)

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Cornhusk bag, Cayuse (side two)

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Cornhusk bag, Yakama? (side one)

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Cornhusk bag, Yakama? (side two)

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Cornhusk bag, later style (side one)

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Cornhusk bag, later style (side two)

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Cornhusk bag, later style (side one)

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Cornhusk bag, later style (side two)

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Seasonal moves to river fishing camps, root gathering fields, mountain berry patches, and winter villages present the problem of transporting and storing food and personal belongings. On the Columbia Plateau, soft twined bags were essential for native peoples like the Nez Perce, Yakama, Umatilla, and others. Because of the labor and skill involved in their construction and design, and the beauty of the finished pieces, these baskets were prized possessions, passed on from tribe to tribe, family to family, and from one generation to the next.

Usually twined from the peeled, cured, and hand spun fibers of dogbane or silkweed (Apocynum cannabinum), the bags were decorated with contrasting-colored plant fibers. As Euroamericans began to settle in the region, new materials became available. As early as the 1830s, husks of corn were used as decorative overlay, and worsted wool yarn was probably introduced in the 1880s, along with aniline dyes to expand the available range of colors. Smaller purses were added to the repertoire.

Shown here is a sample of “cornhusk” bags from the MNCH collections. Both sides are included to show their contrasting designs. Photography by Chris White, text by Pam Endzweig, and web development by Keith Hamm. Images © UO Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Production of this gallery was generously supported by The Ford Family Foundation.