A Tisket, A Tasket

Last month the Yogi and Yogini traveled down to Charleston, SC to pay homage to the Dowager Yogini (my mom) on the occasion of her 7oth birthday. While we were down there, Spoleto Festival was in full swing. One of the featured cultural festivals was the Sweetgrass Festival. We got there early to avoid the heat and crowds. This allowed us plenty of time to visit with the "basket sewers". They are descendants of a long line artisans who brought their craft from West Africa to the rice plantations of the South Carolina Lowcountry in the late 17th century. Each basket embodies the rich history and culture of the Gullah people. Painstakingly gathered local vegetation such as palmetto fronds & thorns, bulrush and pine needles are composed to create a study in artistry, utilitarianism and sustainability — an exquisite, personal and perfect expression of design.

Unfortunately the resources available have been greatly diminished due to development of rural areas. Add to this their ever-increasing popularity, and the limited number of artists that master the craft... well, you can see where I'm going. They can get quite pricey, especially those created by "master sewers", like Vera Manigault.

The next time you're in Charleston, wander on over to the stands on Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant (where they've been sold since the 1930s) and hold a piece of history in your hands — even if you can't afford to own it.








Ms. Vera Manigault's tour de force, "Baby Moses Basket", is a whopping 36" long, constructed of palmetto thorn, took her over 12 years to create, and will set you back a cool $4000.