Tourist Industry
Tourist trade was an important aspect of Indigenous economies in the Victorian era, and likely had a large effect on why this object is so unique. Although trade had been occurring between tribes before colonists arrived and the fur trade began as colonists started moving west (Innis 1999), as tourism increased with the coming of cross country railways, traditional production of goods for trade wavered as rich white tourists came looking for indigenous goods to show off to their friends (Smith-Ferri 1998). Much of this trade was focused on baskets; this basket in particular sees the influence Victorian trade had on trade goods. Although this object is made from traditional materials and methods, it is interesting in that the many details present are common to Victorian designs. There are several reasons why the craftsperson might have decided to add these details; this could have been an effort to increase interest in their baskets by including design elements commonly seen by the women they were selling their basketry to, or to adapt their traditional style to popular styles of the time. If these women were more interested in buying "traditional" basketry, this basket would not fall into this category.