Keeper of the Culture | Corey Alston

The art of sewing sweetgrass baskets is a time honored West African skill that's been passed down for generations. Today, those beautiful pieces of art are valued and often on display, but hundreds of years ago, the baskets had functional and practical use around the house. Basket sewers today are following in the footsteps of our ancestors by keeping the skill alive and broadening its appeal. Of course, like all things, there are challenges. With time and development, just like cultural land being erased, so are the fields where the sweetgrass grows.