NORTH BY NORTHEASTAKWESASNE MOHAWK, TUSCARORA AND WABANAKI TRADITIONAL ARTS

MAINE

NEW YORK

• Niagara FallsTuwscarora

AkwesasneSt. RegisMohawk Reserve

Micmacs(Presque Isle) •

Maliseets(Houlton) •

•Passamaquoddy(Princeton)

Passamaquoddy •(Pleasant Point)

Penobscot(Indian Island) •

QUÉBEC

VERMONT

NEWHAMPSHIRE

Based on the words, work and images of contemporaryHaudenosaunee and Wabanaki artists, North byNortheast offers a window into traditional arts as theyare practiced in three communities in the northeastcorner of the United States: the Wabanaki of Maineand two of the six Haudenosaunee nations: theMohawks at Akwesasne and the Tuscarora at theTuscarora Reservation in Niagara Falls, New York.

These artists create work based on tribal and familialconnections and an ever- present tie to the landscape.Collectively, they represent some of the oldest, mostviable traditional arts practiced in the region today.

HAUDENOSAUNEE TRADITIONAL ARTS

One translation of the word Haudenosauneeis People Building a House.

The sky is the roof, the earth is the floor, the Mohawk nation is the eastern door, andthe Seneca nation is the western door of our house. The Haudenosaunee, also knownas the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy, are the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora.

Traditional teachings, stories, songs, symbols, language and arts – all of theseshared understandings – tell us who we are as Haudenosaunee. Two of the most widely practiced art forms, beadwork from Tuscarora and basket making fromAkwesasne, have been made for generations.

SUE ELLEN HERNE ( MOHAWK) & LYNNE WILLIAMSON (MOHAWK DESCENT)

Basket by Sheila Ransom (Mohawk), photo by Peter Dembski

HAUDENOSAUNEE TRADITIONAL ARTS

Akwesasne is known as the Haudenosauneecommunity with the strongest continuoustradition of basket making. More than autilitarian craft, basket making is a culturalprocess, a way of learning about the cyclesof nature and the right way to live in balance with the land by careful gathering of materials.SUE ELLEN HERNE (MOHAWK) & LYNNE WILLIAMSON (MOHAWK DESCENT)

Barbara Francis basketmaker (Penobscot), photo by Cedric Chatterley

The Haudenosaunee worldview is incorporated into our beadwork patternsas well, such as the sky dome, thestrawberry, the six-petal flower and clan animals – all symbols from our oral tradition. The distinctiveHaudenosaunee form of “raised beadwork” features a layering of beadson a velvet background, creating a textural effect. SUE ELLEN HERNE (MOHAWK) & LYNNE WILLIAMSON (MOHAWK DESCENT)

HAUDENOSAUNEE TRADITIONAL ARTS

Beaded boot by Niio Perkins (Mohawk), photo by Roger Harmon

We are the Wabanaki, the People of the Dawn; the Maliseet, Micmac,Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot. Our home is in the east where the rising sun first greets the lands of what are now known as Maine, NewBrunswick, and Nova Scotia. Whileeach tribe has distinct territories andgovernments, we share similar beliefs,languages, art forms, and traditions.

JENNIFER NEPTUNE, PENOBSCOT BASKETMAKER & BEADWORKER

WABANAKI TRADITIONAL ARTS

Miniature basket by Jennifer Neptune (Penobscot), photo by Martin Neptune

Our traditions tell us that we have alwaysbeen here. In one of our creation stories thepeople were literally born from the ash tree,the basket tree, dancing and singing. For atleast 12,000 years our people have been inthis land creating beautiful objects from theresources surrounding us. JENNIFER NEPTUNE (PENOBSCOT)

Gloosekap came first of all into this country,into the land of The Wabanaki, next to sunrise. There were no Indians here then.And in this way he made men: He took hisbow and arrows and shot At trees, the basket trees, the ash. Then Indians cameout of the bark of the ash trees. WABANAKI CREATION STORY TOLD BY MOLLY SEPSIS, PUBLISHED IN ALGONQUIN LEGENDS BY CHARLES G. LELAND

WABANAKI TRADITIONAL ARTS

Basket by Jeremy Frey (Passamaquoddy), photo by Peter Dembski

If our ancestors were to return today theywould not recognize our clothing, cars, orhousing, but they would recognize the artistsand their ways. The work we create connectsus with our ancestors and those yet to beborn, helping us remember who we are andwere. The baskets, carvings, beadwork, tools,and items that have made their way intomuseums still speak to us, and teach us. JENNIFER NEPTUNE (PENOBSCOT)

WABANAKI TRADITIONAL ARTS

Brich bark container by David Moses Bridges (Passamaquoddy), photo by Darel Bridges

For centuries, the Haudenosaunee andWabanaki people have made baskets,canoes, lacrosse sticks, walking sticks,snowshoes, tools, drums, root clubs, birchbark containers and shelters from thebounty of the northern forest. Long beforethe weaving, carving or building begins;traditional artists must first find “theirmaterial.” Such knowledge is revealed inthe particular; knowing just which tree touse or when to pick sweetgrass.

“Basketmaking is an occupation as well asa form of art. It is also about conservationand respect for using the bounty of natureand the talent of generations in making it into something of value, beauty andfunction.”MOLLY NEPTUNE PARKER (PASSAMAQUODDY)

THE MATERIALS

The Benedicts gathering sweetgrass, photo by Salli Benedict

The Haudenosaunee call it black ash, theWabanaki, brown ash. The botanical nameis Fraxinus nigra. To basketmakers, it isthe “Basket Tree” because it provides thebest natural material for making splints,the pliable strips of wood used for weavingbaskets.

“Ash is the silk of the basket woods interms of the twists and the kind of thingsyou can do with it.”THERESA SECORD, (PENOBSCOT)

BASKET TREES

Brown Ash logs, photo by David Sanipass

The knowledge of what makes a good “basket tree” is traditionally the purviewof men. Once the tree is felled and takenout of the woods, it is then trimmed,peeled and pounded. Although styles ofash preparation vary among the differentnations, the basic “pounding” is a constant. The trunk of the tree is hitrepeatedly with the blunt edge of an axe,causing the wood to separate along itsannual growth rings into thin layers.These layers are then trimmed andshaved into strips for weaving.

“You have to look where the tree isgrowing. Don’t pick a tree near cedarbecause it will effect the quality of thewood.” HENRY ARQUETTE (MOHAWK)

BASKET TREES

Richard Silliboy (Micmac) preparing ash, photo by Jere DeWaters

Today, a healthy tree is a rare sight in theNortheast. Basketmakers attribute the poor quality of ash to various sources ofenvironmental degradation – acid rain,groundwater pollution, clear-cutting practices, insect damage, and disease. The most recent threat to the tree is theemerald ash borer, which is slowly moving east.

“You can’t separate the tree from the tradition. How long the supply will lastdirectly effects the tradition. There is apragmatic as well as a long-term interest bybasketmakers about the health of the tree.In Akwesasne, the building of dams in NewYork got all the trees flooded out. Now, wehave to leave the St. Lawrence Valley tofind suitable ash.”RICHARD DAVID (MICMAC)

BASKET TREES

Richard David, basketmaker & environmental advocate, photo by Peggy McKenna

Northeast Woodland people have used thewhite birch tree for just about everything:wigwams, canoes, baskets, animal calls,quivers, buckets, cooking utensils, evensap containers for collecting maple syrup.White Birch bark is still sought afterbecause it is waterproof, flexible and veryresilient. Winter bark, the dark brownunderside used before the sap runs, is usedfor building canoes and shelters, whilespring and summer bark can be shapedinto beautiful containers.

BIRCH

Birch bark container by David Moses Bridges(Passamaquoddy), photo by Darel Bridges

“I have taken the time to revitalize the skillof making traditional Abenaki/Penobscotetched winter bark buckets. As a nativeartist, it is difficult to maintain the tradi-tion. One cannot purchase bark, roots, orcedar. You have to travel far and wide insearch of quality bark. Searching and gather-ing is demanding and challenging becausequality bark is rare these days. Huge loggingcompanies search out the best birch treesfor veneer lumber. I am left searchingwhere the harvesters can’t go, close towaterways, where no roads exist.”BARRY DANA (PENOBSCOT)

BIRCH

Barry Dana (Penobscot), photo by Marilyn Rogers

“Birchbark canoe construction has been alifelong interest of mine. Many of the tradi-tional crafts were passed to me from myfamily and members of my community atSipayik. With the death of my grandfather,my nation’s last resource for bark canoeconstruction passed away. Though we oftenspoke of building a canoe together, he wastoo old and I was too young. In the end, Iwas left with his canoe-making tools andthe desire to learn.”DAVID MOSES BRIDGES (PASSAMAQUODDY)

BIRCH

David Moses Bridges, Passamaquoddy canoe-maker, photo by Daryl Bridges

“Carving a completed war club averagesabout forty to sixty hours. Each clubrequires patience and time to revealitself to the carver. I find a stand ofgray birches and look at the base. Theyneed to be a couple or three inches indiameter. I scrape any leaves away andif the burl stands out all around, thenit’s a good one. Carving a completed warclub averages about forty to sixty hours.Each club requires patience and time toreveal itself to the carver.”STAN NEPTUNE (PENOBSCOT)

BIRCH

Stan Neptune with root club, photo by Jere DeWaters

Sweetgrass is a salt marsh grass cherishedby basketmakers for its pliability, colorand wonderful smell. Either woven a couple of strands at a time or braided, it is the signature element of manyHaudenosaunee and Wabanaki fancy baskets. Picked in the summer, the grassis cleaned, tied into bundles and hung inthe shade to dry.

“In Mohawk and Haudenosaunee culture,sweetgrass is referred to as the ‘Hair ofMother Earth.’ Its sweet fragrance isappealing and endears us to our MotherEarth. We know that we are not disconnected from her when we can smell her sweet hair.”SALLI BENEDICT (MOHAWK)

SWEETGRASS

The Benedict Family preparing sweetgrass,photo by Salli Benedict

“Weaving is easy, preparing your materials is the hard part.” SYLVIA GABRIEL (PASSAMAQUODDY)

In order to weave ash into baskets, itmust first be made into thinner, smootherstrips. Several tools are used in theprocess. The splitter, a handmade wooden V-shaped device, is placedbetween the knees and the ash splint ispulled up through a slit at the top. Afterthe ash is split, basketmakers use a toolcalled a gauge. A gauge is a handmadetool with a row of evenly spaced metalblades, set into a wooden handle that slice the trimmed ash into narrow, uniform strip.

THE TRADITION

Florence Benedict preparing ash, photo by Peter Dembski

Once the ash is prepared, the splints arethen usually woven around a wooden formcalled a block or a mold. These handmadeforms give the basket its size and shape andlike other basketmaking tools are kept infamilies to maintain certain styles and totrain the next generation.

“Basketmaking is a traditional art. I use thesame tools that have been used throughouttime. My splitting tool belonged to mygrandmother. I have blocks that have beenpassed down.”MOLLY NEPTUNE PARKER (PASSAMAQUODDY)

THE TRADITION

Molly Neptune Parket with grandson, George Neptune, photo by Peter Dembski

Used for everything from harvesting potatoes to washing corn, the utility basket has a long history of being put towork in the Northeast. Traditionallymade by men, these baskets have no dyes or sweetgrass ornamentation; theirbeauty lies in their simple, elegant form.

WORK BASKETS

Henry Arquette, Mohawk basketmaker, photo by Peggy McKenna

Many basketmakers expanded their repertoireof making functional baskets into more“fancy” decorative collectibles. Using their imagination and creative abilities,Haudenosaunee and Wabanaki basketmakerscould fashion ash into just about anything.In developing creative solutions for economicsurvival, these artisans also helped establisha market for handcrafts in the Northeast.

Ever adapting to changing cultural andeconomic conditions, these artists havesuccessfully maintained their cultural identityand entrepreneurial ways in some of the mostremote regions of the Northeast, just liketheir ancestors.

“Trading is deeply rooted in Mohawk cultureand many Native artists will trade work witheach other because they believe that there ismore significance in something that has beenindividually crafted from one’s hands. Nodollar can match the time, thought and lovethat goes into each creative art form.”NIIO PERKINS (MOHAWK)

FANCY BASKETS

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Clara Keezer, Passamaquoddy basketmaker, photo by Cedric Chatterley

Eastern Woodlands people have alwaysbeen attuned to the marketplace. In thenineteenth century, aware of the Victorianlove of ornamentation, beadworkersinvented “raised beadwork,” elaboratelycrafted layers of beads on velvet.

Today, beaders continue to create work forpersonal use, community gatherings andfor extra income. Given as gifts at births,weddings and anniversaries, beadworkplays an important part in contemporaryspiritual and social traditions. For many, itis a personal as well as community-basedexpression of being Haudenosaunee orWabanaki.

BEADWORK

Mary Clause, Tuscarora beader wearing beaded collar,photo by Peggy McKenna

Dolly Printup Winden remembers herTuscarora grandmother Matilda Chew Hillas a patient teacher. A recognized bead-worker, Matilda Chew helped organize theTuscarora community into a beadwork“cottage industry” at Prospect Point inNiagara Falls, New York.

Her grandmother’s life and work continuesto inspire Dolly Printup Winden: “Mygrandmother would say, when you sew,you are bringing your blessings back to youbecause you push your needle up and thenbring it down to you, like a blessing.”

BEADWORK

Dolly Printup Winden, Tuscarora beader, photo by Peggy McKenna

“Beadworkers took ancient designs that inthe past had been painted or painstakinglystitched in porcupine quills, and used silkribbon and beads to transform them intoexquisitely beaded clothing, moccasins,hats, bags, watch pockets, tea cozies, andpincushions. Double curve designs weretransformed into brilliantly floral designsinspired by medicinal plants and flowers.”JENNIFER NEPTUNE (PENOBSCOT)

BEADWORK

Jennifer Neptune sewing beaded ceremonial collar, photo by Peter Dembski

While individually created, these arts aretraditionally learned and communityshared. Passed down from one generationto the next, traditional arts are usuallylearned in an informal way, either byobservation or by example. Such artisticexpression, reflects a group’s cultural values and is rooted in a shared way of life.

TRADITIONAL ARTS

Basketmaker & quilter Judy Cole (Mohawk), photo by Peter Dembski

“It’s an old question that people haveasked “What does the art form ofAkwesasne basket making mean to itspeople?” One answer that was providedby an Akwesasne elder is that, “it bringsus together.” SALLI BENEDICT (MOHAWK ARTIST)

Through workshops and apprenticeships,the Akwesasne Museum and the MaineIndian Basketmakers Alliance haveencouraged ways to involve the nextgeneration. Many of these programsbring master traditional artists togetherwith younger students.

THE NEXT GENERATION

Young basketmakers at Akwesasne Museum, photo by Salli Benedict

More than just lessons in technical skills,such efforts help establish on-going personal and cultural relationships;encouraging the participation of all generations in conserving traditional arts.

“Basket making for me is about innovationand creativity within the context of a traditional art form. The functionality, the materials and shapes have been a legacy to each generation. I honor thatlegacy and believe I have a responsibilityto continue it, basing it always on our traditions and the knowledge of literallythousands of years.”MOLLY NEPTUNE PARKER (PASSAMAQUODDY)

THE NEXT GENERATION

Shannon Secord, left, (Penobscot) with Theresa Secord (Penobscot), photo by Peter Dembski

“North by Northeast: Wabanaki, Akwesasne Mohawk andTuscarora Traditional Arts” was organized by CulturalResources and generously supported by funding from theNational Endowment for the Arts, Folk and TraditionalArts Program; The Wyeth Foundation for American Artand The Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of theAmerican Indian, Visual and Expressive Arts GrantsProgram. Many thanks to all the talented artists who participated in “North by Northeast”.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CURATOR:

Kathleen Mundell, Cultural Resources

PROJECT ADVISORS:

Salli Benedict, Mohawk artist

Sue Ellen Herne, Akwesasne Museum

Jennifer Neptune, Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance

Theresa Secord, Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance

Lynne Williamson, Institute for Community Research

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Bill Fall Design

EXHIBIT DESIGN: Betts Swanson

Beaded bag by Niio Perkins (Mohawk), photo by Roger Harmon