Allen Mike gives a Shoshone language blessing before he and Melanie Smokey begin a demonstration of traditional Western Shoshone willow basket weaving.
The materials need to be harvested with care and intention, and carefully prepared for use.
Willow weaving is a traditional activity that should be approached with a reverence for the plant that gives its life for the making of these baskets.
The Western Shoshone traditionally used the willow plant to manufacture many of their household goods. Melania Smokey demonstrates the skills involved in this process.
In the Spring of 2024 a local nonprofit, the Peacemakers Lodge, hosted a willow basket making workshop on the Wind River Reservation This event was led by Melanie Smokey, Allen Mike and Justin Smokey. This involved collecting willow branches and then weaving them into a conical shaped basket. It proved to be a moving exercise in connecting the past to the present.
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