Fancy Basket, c. 1970, Ash Splint and Sweetgrass, Mohawk, Created by Mary Adams, Housed at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum
One of our most modern baskets, this red fancy basket was created by Mohawk Basketmaker Mary Adams in c. 1970. With its green…
Fidelia Fielding (1827 – 1908) was the last fluent speaker of the Mohegan language. She lived in Mohegan all of her life, and was known to keep to herself. She was very loyal to her Mohegan culture and traditions, and was also the last Mohegan known…
Basket, Ash Splint, Abenaki
The Universal Container
We do not think of baskets in a practical way anymore; they are mostly decorative art. If we need a durable container for large dry goods, we are likely to use a plastic bin. Starting in the 1930s,…
Pictured: Pack Basket, Ash Splint, Abenaki
Introduction
The components of an Abenaki basket are not as simple as they appear to be. The amount of physical labor hiding behind even small baskets is immense, perhaps overwhelming for those not familiar…
Sweetgrass Fancy Work Basket, Ash Splint and Sweetgrass, Abenaki
Before the colonists arrived in America, the Abenaki tribe of New England lived an environmentally efficient and culturally sustainable lifestyle (Porter). Unfortunately, with the…
Pack Basket, Ash Splint, Abenaki
The pack basket with a leather harness shown in the picture below is particularly striking and showcases Bill Gould's skill in basketmaking. Used for carrying supplies while out in the woods, the pack basket is 20…
Basket with Cowwiss, Ash Splint and Sweetgrass, Abenaki
What Is In A Basket?
At first glance this basket might seem like a beautiful decoration or a cherished household item. While the basket is both of these things, there is a history and story…
Various Baskets, Plastic, Lumber, and Gourd, AbenakiA History of Adaptation
Change through time. In nature, these three words define the process required of all living things for survival. For the Abenaki, they represent the survival of a culture.…
Miniature Baskets, Ash splint and Sweetgrass, AbenakiJeanne Brink's Famous Abenaki Baskets
Abenaki basketmaker, Jeanne Brink keeps her culture and her grandmother's spirit alive by weaving baskets (like the ones shown below) with traditional…
Basket, Ash Splint and Sweetgrass, Abenaki
This basket, by Denise Pouliot, showcases a combination of sweetgrass and ash splint. Behind its deceptively simple yet beautiful design is the story of Abenaki basketmaking tradition. Abenaki basketmaking…