Ella Mae Blackbear made baskets to sell commercially instead of for utilitarian use. She was a part of a group of women at Bull Holler who sold these baskets. The shape of baskets changed for commercial sale to emphasize the design in a decorative style. This transition from domestic use to commercial sale occurs in the early 20th century. The Pima and Papago made waste paper baskets. The Cherokee, Pima, and Papago did not traditionally create waste paper baskets.

Tags: basket, walnut, bloodroot
People: Cherokee, Ella Mae Blackbear
Places: Southeast, Eastern Oklahoma
Purpose: commercial sale

From interviews with Dr. Garrick Bailey, 2018-2020 University of Tulsa, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology