The Secwepmec women were noted for their expertise in sewing, beading and crafts and their superior basketry and weaving skills. In this exhibit there are many different kinds of baskets on display, the birch bark, coiled cedar root and pine needle baskets.
Also on display are traditional bulrush mats that were used for summer lodge covers as well as light weight and easy to pack mattresses to sustain the Secwepmec semi-nomadic lifestyle.
The basketry displays the unique family patterns and/ or emblems to show which family/ tribe they belong to and what territory they are from.
Each different type of basket had a specific use or job for example the babies were packed in cradle baskets made of birch bark, the frame made of Saskatoon branch and the safety tie downs to the base of the cradle were made of buckskin laces. They were easy to pack on your back or by horse, strong, durable and buoyant.
The display show-cases the various types of baskets and mats and the different types of Indian hemps, cherry tree barks and cedar roots used to weave the baskets together, root digging sticks, bone awls and other tools and implements needed to dig, gather and prepare to construct the crafts.
