War Emancipation

War Emancipation

The History Of Sweetgrass Baskets In South Carolina

Any vacation to the Lowcountry of South Carolina will show you things only found in the lowlands and marshes of this particular state. Something in particular that can only be found in the Lowcountry is the art of creating sweetgrass baskets. These hand-woven baskets are a part of Gullah tradition that has been passed through generations upon generations of people. Along highway 17 on the Carolina coast, you’ll see these intricate masterpieces set up on stands so that people passing by will see. While traveling to Charleston, especially if you’ve never seen the sweetgrass baskets, ornaments and plates, make sure to take the opportunity to discover this art form.

Sweetgrass basket weaving has been a part of the southern culture for almost 400 years. The trade was brought over from West Africa in the 1600s, when South Carolina farmers began to bring in slaves to work the cotton, indigo and rice fields. Initially, for the purpose of harvesting crops, it was the men who would weave the baskets on the plantations. Women also began weaving baskets that were eventually sold to neighboring plantations for the purpose of generating extra income for their owners.

The majority of the baskets that came from this period were used for carrying and storing fruit, vegetables and grains, and most of them were of the larger variety. Another common form was the winnowing basket, which was a fan-like basket used to separate the chaff from the grain of rice. One great feature of these baskets is that they separated pests from the stored grains inside them. At this time, the purpose of the baskets were for their functionality

A major change in basket weaving occurred after the Civil War, when the slaves were rightfully emancipated by the great Abraham Lincoln. It was basically in this time that the aim of baskets switched from being used to aid in farming and harvest to being applied to help with holding smaller things and to show some thing in a beautiful manner. Women picked up the art more often and began weaving smaller baskets for serving food and holding household items. The alteration in functionality proceeded through time, as basket weaving wasn’t any longer an agricultural requirement but a pleasant art form. Eventually, the containers began to sell on the street, within little shops and on the pages of fashion magazines.

Creating a sweetgrass basket requires precision like no other. Every basket displays its maker’s abilities and personality. And the actual worth of every basket increases with time. When these types of baskets are kept in good shape, they will survive indefinitely. Museums and galleries, including the Smithsonian, hold baskets in their displays which usually are in excess of a hundred years old. Their enduring qualities are due to the sweetgrass habitat – low-lying marshes and wetlands.

Whenever taking a holiday to Charleston, check out the retailers and stands of the sweetgrass basket makers. Sweetgrass basket makers are carrying on a tradition that is more than 300 years old. The Charleston Market is a fantastic place to find a portion of this West African culture. The females who interweave the baskets present beautiful decorations, baskets and trays for anyone to search through. They are beautiful, yet practical, and a bit of a culture that has gotten smaller over time. While you’re in an adventurous state of mind while in the area of the Lowcountry of South Carolina, keep in mind that there are many choices for places to stay, including hotels, motels, bed breakfasts and even Bluegreen resort alternatives, available from the Bluegreen corporation.