A "walaheen" basket is used by the Mutsun and Rumsien Ohlone people of the central California coast for winnowing, roasting, and gathering. It is made from willow, sedge, and other roots, twined together in a complex "herringbone" pattern, revealing a
diamond design. The diamond pattern is made not by introduction of a different plant material, but by a unique variation of the twined stitches. It is a beautiful basket that virtually disappeared until Linda Yamane carefully researched ethnographic
fieldnotes and the rare few baskets that still exist. "By finding and reviving our traditional basketry, I have been able to reintroduce it into our community," Linda says. "I have instructed quite a number of Ohlone people in the harvesting of sedge, willow, bracken fern and bulrush. I have also taught coiled basketry to several Ohlone people." Linda Yamane is widely recognized in the California Indian basketry community for her dedicated efforts to bring back Ohlone baskets. "Making our traditional baskets is an ongoing and central part of my life that continues throughout every part of the year. The plants must be harvested and prepared, and I always have two or three baskets in progress."
Apprentice Carol Bachmann learned to weave at a workshop Lindagave in Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont. Carol is an Ohlone intern at the park and conducts public programs on Ohlone culture. She has since completed several baskets. Part of the apprenticeship will involve harvesting and preparing material. Shaping a walaheen basket involves adding and later eliminating warp sticks. There is a lot for Carol to learn, but Linda is confident that she has the commitment it takes to be a serious basketweaver. Linda says, "Basketweaving is one of the ways I can bring honor and respect to my ancestors. It is also a vehicle for teaching about the people of this land and the gifts the earth provides."
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