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Philip Justen
Mr. Justen
Senior Project
30 May 2008
The act of creating has been an integral part of the human experience since mankind
learned to manipulate tools. A myriad of theories have been offered as what it is about being
human that promotes and stimulates this creative drive. Some would speculate that it is only
through our continuing innovations that we are able to survive in a changing environment.
Others hypothesize that human beings enjoy a creative “soul” that requires some kind of physical
manifestation. The very act of contemplating such metaphysical issues is an act of creation in
itself. The products of these creative impulses take an array of shapes, sizes, and forms. The art
of Under Water Basket Weaving easily falls into this spectrum of creativity. Creating is often an
end in itself, but it can also be a means to end, and Underwater Basket Weaving serves both
purposes. The art of underwater basket weaving enjoys a long, ever-evolving, and relatively
unknown history. The process of underwater basket weaving has proved therapeutic for many
different social groups, especially the elderly and those involved in street crime and gang
activity. To truly understand the complexities of this activity, it is necessary to begin with its
history.
“From the time man has learned to weave baskets, roughly 150,000 years ago, man has
been weaving them underwater” (Freely 17). With such a long tradition a contemporary person
would be forced to wonder why so few people have heard of UBW. Originally, the practice of
UBW was limited only to the availability of water and materials, but this shifted in more recent
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history. It wasn’t until around 500 BCE that UBW became the pastime almost exclusively of the
rich and well-to-do classes. The reason for this appears to be that the landowning chiefs and
kings of those ancient societies wanted baskets woven underwater for themselves exclusively.
Baskets woven underwater achieve a much higher quality than baskets woven on dry land. For
hundreds of years the punishment for a weaver found to be weaving illegally underwater was to
make that weaver eat his own basket (Freely 38-39). As UBW was restricted to such a select
few, the tradition simply fell out of historical recollection. UBW did survive, however, on a
small scale throughout history. “UBW has been prevalent among many subgroups and cultures
throughout time. In fact, the ‘suffragettes’ of the early twentieth century used UBW as method to
promote solidarity among women” (UBW: An Exploration Through Time and Space). Much
more could be said regarding the fascinating history of UBW, but due to the scope of this paper
it is necessary to move on to a word on the process.
Men and women spend entire lives working at perfecting their individual processes for
UBW, and these techniques are as varied as the materials that go into them. There are, however,
some universal basics to consider.
“The process of UBW is not much different than ordinary basket weaving or ‘dry’
basket weaving. The two things to consider are materials and the weave involved.
For instance, to make a water-tight basket a person must use something pliable,
such as reeds. These reeds or something similar must then be mixed with a
complex adhesive called “mud.” For a basket of more general use, long sticks
usually work well. It is advised that the weaver use a wood from a tree that grows
close to water. This provides harmony and strength in the basket. The willow is a
popular material.” (Bath 23-26)
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In short, if a person can weave they can enjoy UBW. The real art is in the individual
production. The individual weave. Aside from materials, the most important thing to consider is
the weave when approaching UBW. The variety of weaves is almost as innumerable as the
variety of people that practice UBW. To name a few of the more common ones there are: the
vertical, the horizontal, the chocolate cake, slip-shot, rim-ram, fool’s gold, the flop, waterfall,
dancing gerbil, Ferris wheel, bookmark, teacher/student, the fried peanut butter and banana
sandwich with french-fries topped with mayonnaise, and the lazy tortoise (UBW: An Exploration
Through Time and Space). There are many more, and men and women experienced in UBW are
encouraged develop their own, original weaves and methods. UBW has proven itself to be
practical, creative, artistic, expressive, and it has also proved therapeutic in both the elderly as
well as people involved in gang activity. As these two demographics are incredibly different, it
will be necessary to address each group individually--beginning with the elderly.
Some people considered “elderly” enjoy fulfilling lives of travel, retirement, pursuing
hobbies, raising families, and other time-consuming activities. Others, however, can feel like
they have outlived their usefulness, done everything they hope to do, are unable to enjoy things
as they used to. It is this latter group that UBW has proved to be of much therapeutic value.
“For the last three years I haven’t had much reason to get out of bed. We used to dance the
‘jitterbug’ on Thursdays until the un-pleasantries. I felt like I was just biding time. Now I can
barely sleep. I can’t quite figure out the ‘inverted’ weave, but it’s coming,” said an elderly
woman (Bath, pg. 25). The combination of low-impact physical exercise and mind-expanding
creative thought has provided some elderly people with the proverbial “new lease on life.”
Another example comes in the testimony of a Mrs. Rathbone of Sundown Rest Home. She says,
“Now that we have a regular UBW program I am meeting more like-minded people, and it’s
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even improving my love-life. I haven’t been on a date in 35 years. Not since Hank passed.
Currently I have three gentlemen calling on me” (Bath 31). It is clear that at least on an
anecdotal level, elderly people do benefit from the calming and rewarding hobby of UBW, but
they are not the only related parties to benefit. At Sundown Rest home outside of Tampa, FL the
staff reports a significant drop in the work required of them. It is hard to quantify, but
apparently the residents are taking a much more direct role in their own care and the upkeep of
the facilities after the introduction of UBW program. UBW does promote self-reliance and a
strong work ethic (Bath 27). It can most likely be argued that UBW would benefit almost
anyone, but another group that seems to be especially receptacle to UBW is people involved in
gang activity and street crimes.
One could assume that there is something lacking in the lives of people that engage in
illicit activities and gang activity. Many people postulate as to this lack. Some would argue that
society is to blame for either being too soft or too hard with these people. Others blame the
public education system for a letting students “slip through the cracks.” Regardless of the
reasons it has been shown the UBW helps the rehabilitation process for bringing these
individuals away from the brink and back to being a functioning, contributing member of
society. There is a relatively unknown history of using UBW to help criminals. In 1865 a man
named Wayland Smithers introduced UBW to his small prison and asylum in upstate New York.
Despite Mr. Smithers numerous published papers and compelling facts supporting the practice
of UBW as a therapeutic method, he went largely unnoticed, as it was thought at the time that
nothing helped the criminally insane as much as a fire hose and unsanitary conditions (Strapp
33). The time was not ripe in 1865 for such radical thinking, but today the idea of rehabilitation
is taking firm hold. “I used to love to kill people. Kill, kill, kill. It was all I thought about. Now
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all I can think about is how to master my next weave. I’m working on the back-hand, slip-shot
right now. Our resident guru says I’m a natural,” said a former murderer at Jackson State
Penitentiary in Battle Creek, MI (Strapp 37). There is evidence of UBW’s success with the
people responsible for the rehabilitating as well. Norbort DevinshireMcGullicuty of North
Carolina State Penitentiary claims:
“Since our introduction of UBW we have seen inmate on inmate violence drop by
seventy percent and inmate on prison employee violence drop by 91 percent, and
all of this happened within the first months. Considering the negligible cost of a
pool, materials, and a local guru I would have to say this is the most successful
program since the electric chair.” (Strapp 52)
There are certainly many variables that go into the rehabilitation of criminals, and certainly
UBW cannot solve all the world's problems, but at least in some cases UBW seems to have a
profound effect on helping some of these people.
Underwater Basket Weaving has changed much over the years. It has been practiced by
many different people, in many different societies, in many different walks of life, for many
different reasons. As mentioned above, people spend their entire lives studying and/or practicing
UBW, so the scope of such a paper is far too limited to address all the intricacies that surround
such a profound art. It is hoped, however, that by critically looking at UBW certain things
become clear. UBW does have a history as complicated as it is long, and a process of practicing
UBW is beneficial and therapeutic for many people and the elderly and people involved in street
crimes are no exception.
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Bibliography:
Bath, Anita. "Underwater Basket Weaving: A New Lease on Life." Those Golden Evenings 15
June 2007: 23-31.
Freely, I.P. Water, Baskets, and You. 1st. Tuscaloosa: Random House, 2003.
Strapp, Jacques and Seymour Butts."Considering UBW." Penitentiary Monthly 12(2006): 32-79.
"Underwater Basket Weaving: An Exploration Through Time and Space." Britannica. CDROM.2007 ed.Walla-Walla: Joe Mama, 2007.
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I. Introduction
Thesis: The art of underwater basket weaving enjoys a long, ever-evolving, and relatively
unknown history. The process of underwater basket weaving has proved therapeutic for many
different social groups, especially the elderly and those involved in street crime and gang
activity.
II. Body
A. History
1. A1
2. A2
3. D2
4. D3 (didn’t use)
5. D4 (didn’t use)
6. B1? (didn’t use)
B. Process
1. A3 (didn’t use)
2. C1
3. D1
C. Therapeutic value
1. A4 (general)
a. Elderly
-C2
-C3
-C4
b. Criminals
-B1
-B2
-B3
-B4 (didn’t use)
III. Conclusion
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