Key to this is the concept that the creative process is in itself a sacred journey. Artistic ability is a gift. The individual artist has a responsibility to the family, clan, and community. Art ties the generations together. The objective of the arts is to explore the deeper meanings of the beliefs, traditions, and experiences of the people.
Art is the record of the past, the thinking of the present and the hopes for the future.
The master basket-maker s task entails the harmonization of body, mind, and spirit. For some, collecting the raw materials for the basket includes giving an invocation and an offering of tobacco. The raw materials are considered gifts to be conserved, respected, and harvested in a prescribed manner. The saying of special prayers and giving of offerings at collection points can transform a basket into a medicine basket. The underlying structures of some baskets represent the four sacred directions.