Five expertly woven baskets, passed down through generations of local families, have joined the Coquille Indian Tribe’s collection of cultural treasures. At least three of the lovingly preserved baskets are believed to be more than a century old. Coquille Tribal elder Toni Ann Brend made an unscheduled presentation during a recent Tribal Council meeting – to the delight of Tribal Chairperson Brenda Meade. “This gift to our future generations is going to touch them forever,” Meade said. Two of the baskets came from the family of former North Bend resident Darrell Rasmussen, who died in February. The Rasmussen family believes the two baskets were made either by his grandmother, Mary Wasson Tanner Miller Graves, or by Mary Wasson’s mother, Susan Adulsa Wasson. Susan Adulsa was one of the Coquille Tribe’s 19th-century matriarchs. Many of today’s Coquilles, including Brend, trace their lineage to her. In presenting Rasmussen’s baskets, Brend added two others made by Susan Adulsa, and a third that also is believed to be her work. The three baskets had belonged to Brend’s parents, Joyce and Howard “Tony” Tanner, and Brend’s uncle, Albert Allard. Coquille weavers traditionally were known for baskets that combined artistry with utility. Susan Adulsa, who died in 1917, was one of the best-known Coquille practitioners of the craft. After the Coquilles were uprooted and dispersed in the 19th century, many traditional basket weavers died without passing down their skills, Brend said. Basketry classes are part of the tribe’s present-day cultural restoration efforts. “Basketry has been a lost art, and we’re trying to bring it back,” she said. Though Brend was proud to present five classic examples of Coquille dexterity, she was wistful about parting with the baskets. “They have spiritual meaning, and these spirits live with you when you have them,” she explained. “So it’s hard to give them up. But my heart felt it was time to put these baskets where everyone could see them.” The tribe will add the five baskets to a display in the lobby of its North Bend offices, situated across U.S. Highway 101 from The Mill Casino-Hotel. Coquille baskets also can be viewed at the Coos History Museum.
