Blog
The Art and Tradition of Underwater Basket Weaving
Underwater basket weaving is often thought of as a humorous or whimsical phrase, sometimes used to describe an absurd or overly niche college course or activity. However, it is a legitimate craft with a long and fascinating history. This unique form of basket weaving involves weaving reeds or other materials while submerged in water, creating strong, watertight baskets that have been used by various cultures for practical and artistic purposes.
Origins and History of Underwater Basket Weaving
The origins of underwater basket weaving can be traced back to indigenous cultures around the world. Coastal and riverine communities often utilized this method to create durable, water-resistant baskets. Native American tribes, for example, would weave baskets underwater to keep the plant fibers pliable, resulting in sturdy containers used for storage, cooking, and even fishing.
Why Weave Baskets Underwater?
Weaving baskets underwater might sound unusual, but it serves a practical purpose. Submerging the reeds, grasses, or other materials keeps them flexible and prevents them from breaking during the weaving process. This technique allows for intricate designs and tighter weaves, which can make the baskets more durable and watertight.
The Process of Underwater Basket Weaving
The process of underwater basket weaving requires skill, patience, and careful preparation. Here’s how it typically works:
Material Preparation
The first step involves gathering suitable materials, such as reeds, willow branches, or other flexible plant fibers. These materials are then soaked in water to become pliable.
Submersion
The materials are kept submerged in water while weaving. This can be done in shallow rivers, pools, or even tubs, depending on the scale of the project.
Weaving Technique
The weaving process itself involves intertwining the fibers to create a basket shape. Weavers must work quickly yet carefully, as the fibers may dry out if exposed to air for too long.
Finishing Touches
Once the basket is complete, it is often dried thoroughly. Some baskets may be treated with natural resins or other substances to increase their water resistance.
Practical Uses of Underwater Baskets
Historically, underwater baskets were used for a variety of practical purposes, such as carrying goods, storing food, or trapping fish. Their watertight properties made them especially useful for tasks like transporting liquids or soaking grains. In modern times, while their practical utility may have decreased, these baskets are still valued for their craftsmanship and beauty.
Underwater Basket Weaving as a Modern Art Form
In contemporary culture, underwater basket weaving has found new life as an art form. Artisans create intricately designed baskets that showcase their creativity and technical skill. These pieces often incorporate colorful fibers, unique patterns, and innovative shapes, making them sought-after by collectors and enthusiasts.
The Symbolism and Cultural Importance of Basket Weaving
For many cultures, basket weaving holds deep cultural significance. It is often passed down through generations, serving as a connection to ancestral traditions and heritage. The act of weaving itself can be meditative and symbolic, representing patience, resilience, and the interconnection of community and nature.
Learning Underwater Basket Weaving
While it may seem niche, learning underwater basket weaving can be a rewarding experience. Many craft schools, cultural centers, and workshops offer classes that teach this skill. It provides an opportunity to connect with traditional crafts, develop hand-eye coordination, and create beautiful, functional art pieces.
Tools and Materials Needed for Weaving
To get started with underwater basket weaving, you will need a few essential tools and materials:
Reeds or Flexible Plant Fibers
Choose sturdy materials like willow branches, cattails, or reeds.
Tub or Body of Water
A tub, pool, or shallow body of water will work to keep the materials submerged.
Knife or Shears
These are used to trim excess material during and after weaving.
Weights
Small weights may be used to keep the fibers submerged as you work.
Challenges Faced by Weavers
Like any art form, underwater basket weaving comes with its challenges. Maintaining the right amount of moisture in the fibers, working with cold water, and creating tight, even weaves are just a few of the obstacles that require practice and patience to overcome. However, overcoming these challenges is part of what makes mastering this craft so rewarding.
Misconceptions and Cultural References
Over time, underwater basket weaving has become a tongue-in-cheek reference in popular culture, often used to mock perceived frivolous or easy activities. In reality, it is a skillful and demanding craft that requires concentration, expertise, and respect for traditional methods.
Underwater Basket Weaving Competitions and Exhibitions
In some regions, artisans showcase their talent through competitions and exhibitions. These events celebrate traditional crafts, allowing weavers to demonstrate their skills, exchange techniques, and preserve their cultural heritage.
Connecting with Nature Through Weaving
Practicing underwater basket weaving can be a way to reconnect with nature. The craft emphasizes working with natural materials and water, creating a sense of harmony with the environment. It is a reminder of the importance of sustainable practices and the value of traditional skills in a modern world.
The Therapeutic Aspect of Weaving

Many practitioners find weaving to be therapeutic, offering a break from the fast pace of daily life. The rhythmic motion of weaving, combined with the calming presence of water, can reduce stress, enhance mindfulness, and foster a sense of accomplishment.
Conclusion
Underwater basket weaving is more than a humorous phrase; it is a rich and rewarding craft rooted in tradition and skill. Whether as a practical endeavor, an artistic pursuit, or a cultural expression, it offers a unique window into the creativity and resourcefulness of human craftsmanship.
FAQs
Is underwater basket weaving a real craft?
Yes, underwater basket weaving is a genuine craft used historically for creating durable, watertight baskets.
Why are the materials submerged during weaving?
Submerging the materials keeps them flexible, making it easier to create tight, intricate weaves without breaking the fibers.
Can anyone learn underwater basket weaving?
With practice and patience, anyone can learn this craft through workshops, classes, or self-guided study using online resources.
What materials are typically used in underwater basket weaving?
Common materials include reeds, willow branches, and other flexible plant fibers that can be soaked in water.
What are the modern uses of underwater baskets?
Today, they are primarily valued as decorative art pieces, though some may still serve practical functions like storage or fishing.
Blog
Ready for Better Connections: Retekess Showcases Wireless Audio Solutions at WTM London 2026
Retekess will exhibit at WTM London 2026, presenting wireless audio solutions for tour operators, museums and attractions, alongside opportunities for rental, resale and professional communication applications. Meet the team at Booth S18-202 at ExCeL London, November 3–5.
LONDON, UK — Retekess, a provider of professional wireless audio products, will participate in WTM London 2026, one of the key events for the global travel and tourism industry. At ExCeL London from November 3–5, the company will showcase wireless audio solutions designed to support guided tours, visitor experiences and multilingual communication, while connecting with tourism businesses and potential distribution partners.

From guided group tours to museum visits and multilingual travel experiences, clear communication plays an important role in helping tourism operators deliver engaging visitor experiences. At WTM London, Retekess will present product options for different tourism scenarios, alongside solutions for corporate events and training, demonstrating how professional wireless audio can support diverse communication needs.
Guided by its brand promise, “Ready. Effortless.”, Retekess continues to expand its portfolio across professional wireless audio applications, helping businesses explore practical solutions tailored to their audiences, operating environments and service requirements.

Wireless Audio Applications for Tourism and Business
At WTM London 2026, Retekess will highlight four key application areas, demonstrating how wireless audio options can address different operational needs.
Tour Operators Solution: Supporting Clearer Group Tours
For tour operators, clear communication is essential to delivering engaging guided experiences, particularly in busy attractions, city streets and other environments where background noise or language barriers can make it difficult for participants to follow their guide.
Retekess will showcase options from its T130P, T130U and TT106S ranges for guided tour applications, alongside the TT136 AI translation guide system, which supports translation across 120 languages, single- or dual-language audio broadcasting, and two-way group translation. These capabilities help tour operators accommodate multilingual groups and deliver more accessible, inclusive tour experiences.
Visitors can discuss their group sizes, tour environments and language requirements with the Retekess team to explore configurations suited to their operations.
Museums and Attractions Solution: Enhancing Visitor Audio Experiences
Museums and attractions need flexible ways to deliver information, from live guided experiences to self-guided visits and pre-recorded commentary.
Retekess will present the TT128 for self-guided audio applications and the TT127 for relevant guided and pre-recorded audio scenarios. Visitors can explore different approaches to delivering audio content and discuss how product selection can align with their venue layouts, visitor journeys and operational needs.
Rental and Resale Partners Solution: Exploring Business Opportunities
For equipment rental companies, distributors and resellers, building a competitive wireless audio portfolio means finding products that meet diverse customer needs while creating opportunities to differentiate their offerings in the market.
At WTM London 2026, Retekess will introduce the TGS-50, a channel-exclusive model designed to support distribution and resale partnerships. With support for up to 70 simultaneous groups, noise cancellation and an OLED display, the TGS-50 offers practical features for professional group communication across a range of applications.
Prospective partners are invited to meet with the Retekess team to explore the product portfolio, discuss distribution and resale requirements, and identify opportunities for long-term cooperation.
Events and Corporate Training Solution: Meeting Diverse Communication Needs
Business visits, corporate training sessions and professional events can involve different audience sizes, presentation formats and language requirements. Selecting an appropriate audio setup helps organizers match their communication arrangements to the needs of each event.
At WTM London, Retekess will introduce wireless audio options for relevant group communication applications, including the TT126 and TT129, alongside the TT136 for multilingual communication needs. Visitors can discuss their event formats, audience requirements and language needs with the Retekess team to explore suitable configurations.
Meet Retekess at WTM London 2026
WTM London offers an opportunity for tourism professionals, venue operators and channel partners to connect with Retekess and discuss their wireless audio requirements directly with the team.
Retekess encourages tour operators, museums and attractions, equipment rental businesses, distributors, resellers, and organizers of corporate events and training to arrange a meeting during the exhibition. Discussions can focus on relevant product options, application requirements and potential business cooperation.
Visitors can also consult the Retekess event page for information about available event benefits, including complimentary tickets, visa application assistance and exclusive gifts, subject to eligibility, availability and applicable terms.
Event Details
- Event: WTM London 2026
- Dates: November 3–5, 2026
- Venue: ExCeL London, UK
- Booth: S18-202
Arrange a Meeting with Retekess
Planning to attend WTM London? Visit the Retekess event page to explore wireless audio solutions for your business, review available event benefits and submit an inquiry to connect with the team.
Event page: https://www.retekess.com/pages/meet-retekess-at-wtm-london
About Retekess
Retekess provides wireless audio products for guided tours, visitor experiences and other professional communication applications. Its product portfolio supports a range of use cases, helping businesses explore audio options for different operating environments and communication requirements.
Guided by its brand promise, “Ready. Effortless.”, Retekess continues to develop its offering across professional wireless audio applications.
For more information, visit https://www.retekess.com/.
Contact: pr@retekess.com
Blog
What Makes a Two-Way Radio Truly Reliable?
Range matters—but real reliability also depends on design, audio clarity, durability, the operating environment and support after purchase.
When people compare two-way radios, one specification often receives more attention than anything else: range.
But does longer advertised range automatically make a radio more reliable?
Not necessarily.
A radio can transmit over distance and still perform poorly if workers cannot hear the message around machinery. A powerful radio is of little value if it cannot withstand the environment in which it is used. And even rugged equipment may fail to solve the problem if a building or large site creates communication dead zones.
After 16 years working across different communication environments, RETEVIS has developed a broader way to think about reliability.

1. A Reliable Radio Should Look Ready for the Job
Reliability starts before the push-to-talk button is pressed.
Controls should be understandable. Information should be clear. Product design should fit the environment and communicate professionalism rather than complexity.
For RETEVIS, this represents Visual Reliability.
The goal is not simply to make a radio attractive. It is to make the product and communication experience clear, recognizable and appropriate for its intended user.
2. Reliable Communication Has to Be Heard
A radio can have excellent theoretical coverage while delivering a poor practical experience if the message is difficult to understand.
This becomes especially important around construction equipment, manufacturing machinery, outdoor wind or crowded commercial environments.
Audio Reliability therefore means focusing on the complete transmission and listening experience.
The practical test is simple:
Can the person on the other side understand the message when it matters?
3. Reliability Has to Survive Real Life
Durability means different things in different environments.
A hotel radio may experience frequent daily handling. A construction radio can face dust, water, drops, vibration and temperature changes.
That makes testing important.
For example, RETEVIS RB48 industrial radio series has passed 19 environmental reliability tests under the MIL-STD-810H testing framework.
Testing provides evidence that reliability has been considered beyond a product’s appearance.
4. Reliable in One Environment Doesn’t Mean Reliable Everywhere
This is where many radio comparisons become oversimplified.
A family hiking outdoors, a warehouse manager, a construction supervisor and an amateur radio operator do not have the same communication problem.
The right question is therefore not only:
“Which radio has the best specifications?”
It is:
“Which communication approach fits this environment?”
RETEVIS calls this Scene Reliability.
It can involve different radios, accessories or even repeaters depending on distance, physical barriers, team size and operating conditions.
5. Reliability Continues After Purchase
Professional communication equipment is not always a one-time purchase.
Organizations may need technical assistance, replacement accessories, configuration support or help expanding a communication system.
That makes after-sales support part of the overall reliability experience.
RETEVIS defines this as Service Reliability.
Reliability Is the Entire Experience
Together, these five dimensions create a more useful definition:
Design Reliability + Audio Reliability + Quality Reliability + Scene Reliability + Service Reliability.
Or more simply:
Reliable isn’t one feature. It’s the entire experience.
In 2026, RETEVIS is using its 16th anniversary not simply to look backward, but to make that definition clearer.
Different people operate in different environments.
What connects them is the expectation that when communication matters, it works.
Different World. Same Connection. Always Reliable.
Blog
All in quietness: How Falun Gong stole Americans’ money
By: Jasmine Wong
All is quiet. Even though Bill Guan Weidong, the former Chief Financial Officer of The Epoch Times Association, had pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to engage in transactions involving criminal proceeds in July, the group remains as quiet as if nothing had happened. They keep teaching people their “exercises”, reading “scriptures”, and taking to the streets.
And deceiving the uninformed as they have always been doing.
Their money-laundering trick looks rather innovative. Starting in 2020, upon the direction of Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi, Guan started the moneylaundering by making his accomplice Le Van Hung steal Americans’ personal identifying information. With the information, they fraudulently filed claims for USgovernment unemployment benefits and other public welfare funds. Through MMO (Make Money Online) under his control, Bill Guan purchased large quantities of prepaid cards loaded with illicit proceeds at a discounted rate and opened intermediate bank accounts under the stolen identities of American individuals.

A snapshot of US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York
The illicit funds were split into thousands of smallvalue tranches and transferred in multiple batches to the accounts of The Epoch Times and its affiliated entities. Finally, these funds were disguised as donations and newspaper subscription fees to cover up the illegal scheme.
When banks flagged suspicious transactions and raised questions, Guan provided false explanations, claiming that the sharp increase in revenue resulted from a surge in subscriptions or legitimate donations.
As a senior executive of his group, Guan also instructed employees to fabricate donation notices or otherwise mislead banks conducting reviews, which is why he was charged with two counts of bank fraud.
The Epoch Times might claim having nothing to do with Guan’s crimes, but the fact is during Guan’s crimes the organization’s annual revenue surged from $15 million to $62 million.
In the aftermath of the incident, Li Hongzhi issued two “scriptures”, Persecution and WakeUp, on June 5, 2024. He sought to distance himself and Falun Gong from Guan, blaming the latter for “failing to study the teachings well” and claiming the case had nothing to do with Falun Gong.
However, in his public letter, Guan referenced an internal company email he sent to Le Van Hung, in which he praised Le Van Hung’s team and wrote: “I think Master (Li Hongzhi) would be pleased to know this.” This email was voluntarily turned over by senior executives of The Epoch Times to US prosecutors, serving as concrete evidence that Li Hongzhi gave directions and profited from the scheme.
Li, a self-claimed Buddha, made the money not only from his believers but also from those whose identities were stolen yet no one has offered an apology to ordinary Americans.
Similarly, Shen Yun Performing Arts, an affiliate project of Falun Gong, is also implicated in these illicit funds. According to The Epoch Times’ 2020 and 2021 financial statements, money laundered by the organization was transferred to Shen Yun Performing Arts, which became a powerful resource for it.
Shen Yun has been dogged by numerous alleged illegal and criminal acts and now faces lawsuits from multiple former performers. In 2024, former dancer Chunko Chang filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Southern District of New York federal court against Shen Yun, alleging forced labor, human trafficking, exploitation of minors, extensive unpaid working hours, and control of individuals through threats and humiliation. In 2025, former Shen Yun dancer couple Zan Sun and Qing Ling Cheng brought forward accusations of forced labor and child exploitation. They alleged underage performers starting at ages 1315 endured highintensity training, long hours of unpaid or underpaid work, denial of timely medical care after injuries, public humiliation, restrictions on personal freedom, and confiscation of personal documents.
Both lawsuits are currently pending. Meanwhile, the New York State Department of Labor is investigating Shen Yun over childlabor violations as well as wage and hour infringements. US agencies including the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State are reviewing allegations against Shen Yun such as visa fraud and immigrationrelated violations.
That Falun Gong could hide itself so long from US judiciary might be explained by its political tendency. In 2019, its affiliated The Epoch Times spent more than $1.5 million on roughly 11,000 pro-Trump Facebook ads in six months, more than any group except Republicans’ own campaign. Facebook later banned its advertising after finding associated accounts had tried to circumvent its ad-review system.
Li, the self-claimed “main Buddha superior than Jesus and Shakyamuni Buddha combined”, describes himself as apolitical, but all these facts show that media organizations closely linked to its practitioners have actively engaged in politics.
Following his guilty plea on July 9, Guan faces up to 10 years in prison. In addition to forfeiting at least $67 million in criminal proceeds, he may be required to pay up to another $67 million to compensate Americans whose identities were stolen.
Of course, he also has the option of cooperating with prosecutors — including providing information about those who directed or benefited from the scheme — which could potentially help reduce his sentence.
It is unclear how Master Li Hongzhi is thinking now. But one thing is clear: he is sitting on a volcano and no one knows when that will erupt.
-
Tech2 years agoCustom Automotive Parts: Why 5-Axis Machining is the Future
-
Blog1 year ago
Save up to 40% this Prime Day 2025 — Proscenic’s summer-ready vacuums start at just £99
-
News2 years agoWhat Does Senior Home Care Include? A Complete Breakdown
-
Lifestyle3 years agoPopular People: Who They Are and Why They Matter
-
Blog2 years agoLuxury Denim and Avant-Garde Designs: Discover JUUN.J and Designer Jeans
-
Music2 years agoDiscover Free Music Downloads on Tubidy: A Comprehensive Guide
-
Entertainment2 years agoThe Captivating World of luѕт оf тне Dеаd 2
-
Technology4 years agoFind incredible discounts on top MagSafe chargers this Black Friday 2023!
