Plaited basketry plaque with geometric designs.

The Hopi, especially in more recent years, make less basketry than pottery, but most of their basketry consists of plaques. The plaques are frequently used ceremonially or for gift-giving. One of the most common traditions of gifting plaques is the giving of them to the groom and his family for a wedding. A groom’s family makes the wedding robe for the bride, and the bride’s family makes a special plaque for the groom (Dalrymple 2000, 118).