Bentwood boxes were used by Indigenous Peoples in the Pacific Northwest for many purposes including storing food, clothing, supplies, and spiritual or ceremonial items. Bentwood is a way of shaping wood by using water and most bentwood boxes were made with a single plank of cedar wood. The wood is steamed and bent into shape before using cedar roots or wooden pegs to hold it together.
Follow the instructions on the handout below to create your own bentwood box using a shoebox! Then, create a design on it.
