Weaver

Weaver by weaver,
Up and under each standard
Up and under
As my hand moves in rhythm
A figure starts to emerge
A figure of the ancestors
Silently whispering
Reminding us they are still here
Through tradition
Through language
They are still here
To the naked eye a basket
To us it is much more
A symbol of our past
A symbol of our continuation
Our strength
Our resistance
Woven so tightly
Like our people
Add a line of color
A braid of sweetgrass around the top
To the naked eye a basket,
To me a beautiful creation of the past, present and future
Created with this hand
Weaver by weaver

Cassandra Dana is a member of the Passamaquoddy tribe at Indian Township. She has received a Bachelors degree from the University of Maine at Orono with a major in anthropology and minors in Native American studies and Maine studies. She has been on multiple archaeological digs, and has worked in both the Hudson Museum and Passamaquoddy Cultural Heritage Museum. Cassandra is currently working at the Passamaquoddy Health Center.