Wire baskets, called wainom hua, made by Albert Alvarez

Wire baskets, called wainom hua, are distinctive craft objects of the Tohono O'odham. In this sequence of seven images, Albert Alvarez demonstrates how to make a wire basket. In the past, wire baskets were used as functional items to store food. The looping technique used in wire baskets is related to the lace coiling technique used in making kiahas, or burden baskets. Wire baskets were traditionally made from the baling wire used in ranching and made primarily by men.