Hopi Style Wedding Tray

Hopi Style Wedding Tray

This ceremonial Hopi-style wedding tray, handcrafted by a Navajo artisan, measures 14.5 inches wide. It features Yucca strands delicately wrapped over willow that encircle its rim. Designed for traditional use, the tray reflects a harmonious blend of cultural artistry—where Hopi ceremonial motifs meet Navajo craftsmanship. Its form and function evoke the sacred significance of union, making it not only a striking display piece but also a meaningful vessel in wedding rituals and storytelling traditions. Some areas of the yucca wrapping show separation and natural fading.

One of a Kind.

Hopi-style wedding trays—often shallow wicker plaques or coiled baskets—hold deep ceremonial and cultural significance rooted in centuries of tradition. Hopi women craft these trays using natural materials like sumac, rabbitbrush, and yucca, relying on techniques passed down through generations. Artisans on Second Mesa create coiled plaques known as poota, while those on Third Mesa specialize in wickerwork plaques called yungyapu.

Families use these trays in weddings, harvest ceremonies, and initiation rites for girls. When a Hopi girl is born, her family gives her a plaque that she will use throughout her life, reinforcing her connection to the community. During wedding ceremonies, the bride presents a tray or basket to the groom. He keeps it for life and may take it with him into the afterlife. These trays often feature sacred symbols like corn maidens or spider web motifs. Such designs invoke fertility, rain blessings, and ancestral teachings. The rim wrapping and finishing techniques can even indicate the marital status of the maker, adding layers of personal and social meaning.

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