African Sweetgrass Baskets The art of making Sweetgrass baskets is a three-century old African-American tradition that has been "passed-down" over the centuries from parent to offspring. Originally used as practical work baskets they have evolved into fine-tuned works of art. Muhlenbergia filipes, commonly known as Sweetgrass, is a perennial grass found growing sparsely in the coastal dunes extending from North Carolina to Texas in the United States. The blade of this supple yet strong grass is ideal for coiled basket making. Sweetgrass has extremely important historical and cultural significance to South Carolina for it was harvested by "direct descendants of enslaved Africans of antebellum South Carolina." African people especially those from Senegal, whose people were known for their basket making skills, and knowledge of cultivating rice, were brought to South Carolina as early as 1505 with the advent of the slave trade in the New World. Folk history recounts that enslaved men and women weaved African coiled baskets to fan rice in order to separate the grains from the chaff. After the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, former slaves were dedicated to preserve the African traditions of their ancestors. Today Sweetgrass grows plentiful in Senegal and we can enjoy the basketry from the original Senegal masters themselves. Please click photo for enlargement! See Order button below. Sold When OFFLINE click button to leave a message! **For a complete inventory listing please go to the 'Index' section on the Navigation Bar to your right** Dimensions: 7 1/2 inches tall x 6 inches wide |