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Hopi basket maker Leslie Randolph Robledo will demonstrate traditional wicker plaque weaving and yucca basket creation at Coronado Historic Site on Saturday as part of the site’s monthly artist demonstration program.
The program, running through October on the last Saturday of each month, highlights artists from New Mexico’s 19 federally recognized Pueblos and Arizona’s 12 Hopi villages.
According to a press release, Robledo, whose Hopi name is Letihepnem (Looking for Foxes), is a member of the Reed Clan from the village of Bacavi. She said she is passionate about preserving the basket weaving tradition for future generations.
“This is a centuries old tradition,” Robledo said in a press release. “Originally designed to sieve various beans and corn and to carry, store and dry foods.”
Hopi artisans incorporate their own designs into baskets, reflecting their culture and imagination, according to Robledo. Sifter baskets are made from yucca with rings typically made from sumac, while wicker baskets and plaques use wicker, rabbit brush and yucca.
The materials are locally sourced, requiring hours of countryside walks to gather plants and fibers, Robledo said. The materials are then cleaned, stripped, split and hand-dyed using both natural and commercial dyes.
Visitors can observe the demonstration and learn about the cultural significance of the baskets. Robledo’s artwork will be available for purchase.
Admission is $7 for adults. Children 16 and younger, people with Native or tribal affiliations, disabled veterans, foster families and members of Museums of New Mexico Foundation and Friends of Coronado-Jemez Historic Sites receive free admission.
The artist demonstration program will feature six different Indigenous artists throughout the season at the historic site.
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