Bryce Antone, Tohono O’odham Burden Basket Maker. 2025

Bryce Antone, a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation from the community of No:ligk, creates traditional Giho, or burden baskets, that symbolize strength, responsibility, and cultural continuity. Inspired at age ten by his uncle’s basket-making, Bryce has since dedicated himself to preserving and teaching this practice through schools, community presentations, and workshops. He now mentors his son and apprentice, Terrence J. Antone, passing on the values and skills of the O’odham Himdag to the next generation.

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Bryce resides in Tucson, but his home is the community of No:ligk in the Sells District. The O’odham Himdag, or way of life, emphasizes respect for nature, family, and community, values that Bryce carries into his work and teaching. He speaks O’odham Ñiok and continues to honor the oral histories, songs, and ceremonies that preserve identity and resilience for his people.

The burden basket, or Giho, holds deep cultural significance among the O’odham and other indigenous communities of the Southwest. Traditionally made from saguaro ribs, arrow weed, willow, and agave fibers, these baskets were worn on the back with a strap across the forehead. They were used by women to carry daily necessities and symbolized strength, responsibility, and the vital role of women in sustaining family and community. Beyond their practical use, burden baskets carry spiritual meaning. The process of making them is a form of prayer and connection to ancestral knowledge, with patterns and designs reflecting tribal identity, family lineage, and the maker’s intent.

Bryce’s journey with the Giho began at age ten, when he watched his uncle, Theodore Rivers, make a basket for his sister, who was competing for Miss Tohono O’odham Nation. Witnessing the care and purpose behind the basket’s creation inspired him to learn the art himself. Over time, he studied and practiced the techniques required to construct the Giho, weaving string or twine around a frame made from arrow weed or willow and saguaro ribs. He also learned the stories and meanings tied to the basket, understanding that the Giho is more than an object—it is a symbol of strength, labor, and the role of O’odham families in history.

Bryce has made and gifted Gihos to local Head Start centers, where they are used to teach children about the importance of the basket and the Himdag. He has presented at the Tohono O’odham Community College and worked with families revitalizing the O’odham language and culture. Through these efforts, he ensures that the Giho remains a living tradition, connecting past and present.

He continues to deepen his knowledge through research and practice, exploring different basket styles and weaving methods while staying rooted in tradition. He has created multiple versions of the Giho and is in the early stages of teaching his son, Terrence J. Antone, to carry on the skill and values that come with it. Bryce envisions leading community workshops focused on youth, where participants will harvest traditional materials, hear stories, and make baskets themselves.

For Bryce, making the Giho is more than an artistic practice—it is a living expression of identity, family, and survival. Through each basket, he passes on the heartbeat of the O’odham people, ensuring that their Himdag continues far into the future.