Forest Service, Culture, and Community

In the Hopi culture, women traditionally weave baskets and men weave textiles. Leona Pooyouma learned how to weave baskets from her mother, who had been taught by Leona’s grandmother.

Photo by Jillian Foley, Smithsonian Institution.

The sashes that Marvin Pooyouma weaves are integral to Hopi tradition. ''It’s a garb that everybody wears. It just wouldn't be a ceremony without it,'' he explains.

In the Hopi culture, women traditionally weave baskets and men weave textiles. Leona Pooyouma learned how to weave baskets from her mother, who had been taught by Leona’s grandmother.

Leona and Marvin Pooyouma are members of the Hopi tribe in Arizona. Leona is an accomplished wicker basket weaver who uses native plants and bushes found on the Hopi reservation. Marvin is skilled in the art of textile weaving, which he learned from his grandfather and is passing down to his sons. The Pooyoumas' art underscores the importance of both family and tribal traditions.

"A lot of the designs are traditional," Leona explains. "There's a design that my mother was really good at, and she passed it on to me. It's called a whirlwind design, because it's going back and forth. It reflects daily life and what's all around us—winds of the changing seasons."

According to Marvin, "Not many of our younger generation have picked up the skills to continue this tradition of weaving." But some people are learning on a one-to-one basis from a relative or friend, and schools on the reservation are offering classes. "I hope that continues so the Hopi weaving stays alive."