The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE INDIANS WEAVED THEIR BASKETS. THEY WENT OUT INTO
THE SWAMP AND CUT DOWN THESE, THEY WERE LIKE WIDE
BLADES OF GRASS, CALLED "SWEET GRASS." AND THEY BROUGHT
THEM HOME AND THEY HAD THESE HUGE WOODEN MALLETS AND
THEY TOOK THESE BLADES OF GRASS AND PUT THEM ON LARGE
WOODEN STUMPS AND POUNDED THEM UNTIL THEY WERE PAPER-
THIN. SOMETIMES IT TOOK HOURS AND HOURS. THEN THESE
BLADES WERE DYED DIFFERENT COLORS AND THEN WOVEN INTO
BASKETS, WHICH THEY SOLD TO THE TOURISTS WHO CAME UP
EVERY SUMMER. THEY ALSO SOLD THEM TO THE BIG STORES
IN TOWN ON CONSIGNMENT. THESE BASKETS SOLD FOR BIG
PRICES, BEING AUTHENTIC INDIAN AND HAND-MADE. THEY
DON'T DO THIS KIND OF THING IN THE UPPER PENINSULA
(MICHIGAN) ANY MORE.

Where learned: DETROIT ; MICHIGAN, ASSUMED

Date learned: 05-22-1965