Basket

A basket (A) with a handle and lid (B). The body of the basket has broad ribs, with an inner lining of twill weave and outer covering of very fine coiled fiber. The handle is three broad strips, passing under the body of the basket and arching over the top. The handles are painted red and blue. Broad strips forming the base, around the middle, and at the top of the body of the basket are painted red. The strip forming the base and the strip around the middle of the body are broken.

The original basket was identified by the donor as a small Chinese sewing basket, purchased as a souvenir in Honolulu in 1881.

Basket-making in Hawaiʻi was closely connected to mat-weaving, with baskets often conceptualized as folded mats and mats as opened baskets. Loulou palm (Pritchardia martii) and pandanus (hāla) leaves were often utilized to create baskets, producing circular and rectangular forms through mat-like plaiting techniques. Circular baskets were especially valued for their lightness and durability, varying in size and handle construction according to function, while smaller covered baskets (hīnaʻi lauhala) served personal storage needs. Over time, the cultivation of sugarcane and the destruction of native groves reduced the availability of pandanus leaves, and the art of weaving lauhala baskets and mats declined. By the early 20th century, native production had become rare, and imported mats and baskets, particularly from China, often replaced Hawaiian-made products.