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A virtual tour of the photographs and artifacts of the Creole State Exhibit at the state capitol.

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Creole State Exhibit Artist

Myrna Wilson

Elton, Jefferson Davis Parish
Gender: Female
Cultural Background: Native American - Koasati-Coushatta

Myrna Wilson is one of three daughters of Koasati traditionalists, Bel and Nora Abbey. She is an accomplished pine straw basketmaker and a Koasati speaker. Mrs. Wilson began learning to make baskets at three years old. Young girls were given leftover materials to work with until they had practiced enough to perfect their art. Mrs. Wilson's mother would periodically collect the baskets made by the family and take them to Elton or Kinder to trade for food or supplies. "The basket weaving, it's been a tradition that's going on for years and years. My grandmother, ... I used to stay at her house all the time, and I learned from her and from my mama, too. It's coming down from way back."

             


For this artist, there are 1 related artifacts.

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Koasati Pine Straw Vase Koasati Pine Straw Vase
Pine straw, raffia
by Myrna Wilson

 

National Endowment for the Arts.

 
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