"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Heritage Center to Offer Basketry Class

PARK HILL, OKLAHOMA – The Cherokee Heritage Center will be offering a class in traditional Cherokee basketry on Saturday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Anna Huckaby, Cherokee language interpreter for the Cherokee Nation's Cultural Resource Center, will instruct the class. Anna learned basket making from her grandmother while growing up in the Leach community and honed her skills as an employee at the Cherokee Heritage Center’s Ancient Village. She has been teaching basket making for the past 25 years and was designated by the Cherokee Nation as a National Living Treasure in basketry in 1991.

Designed to provide an introduction to the traditional techniques of Cherokee style basketry, the class is part of a series of cultural classes offered by the Cherokee Heritage Center. Participants will learn the history of basketry while weaving their own basket.

The Cherokee Heritage Center offers classes, lectures and workshops in local history, crafts, games and numerous traditional Cherokee cultural classes each year. Additional classes planned for spring 2007 include stickball making, Southeastern pottery and Cherokee moccasins. Contact the Cherokee Heritage Center for the complete schedule.

Early registration for the basketry class is recommended as class size is limited. The $40 fee includes tuition and materials.

For more information or to register, contact the Cherokee Heritage Center’s Education Department, phone: 918-456-6007, or send e-mail to: education@cherokeeheritage.org