Okinawan Basketry

75 years ago today, my father earned his Purple Heart during the Battle of Okinawa in WWII. He was an Army Signal Corps Combat Photographer.  In November 2019, I was able to do some research at the National Archives, Still Photographs Division.  While I was looking for photos of him (there were three, but that's another story), I was also finding photos that he took.  And while I was looking, I found baskets.  Hopefully, I will be able to return to do more research in coming years.

Caption:  "A pretty native woman carries a basket of sweet potatoes, that she has just harvested upon her head at the Okinawa Agricultural Experimental Station. 12 Aug 1945. Signal Corps Photo #CPA-45-14118 (Roberts)."  SC 370927
Roberts is the photographer.

One plant identified as used in basketry in Okinawa is Flagellaria Indica "Whip Vine," an Okinawan native plant.  Wikipedia says it is: "A strong climber, it grows often up to 15 m tall, with thick cane-like stems exceeding 15 mm in diameter." 

Below: detail of baskets on the ground. They look as if they could be made of thick cane-like stems of whip vine.

Also known as False Rattan, Flagellaria Indica "is often gathered from the wild for local use, mainly as a source of material for making baskets etc, but also as a food and medicine."
http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Flagellaria+indica

Joseph Barabas, Signal Corps Cameraman, holds onto his  camera while being evacuated for medical treatment. Okinawa, 6/20/1945,  3233 Signal Corps  Photo, photographer unknown. SC 209740