As a companion to CCLA’s Community Read book choice Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, we will host this workshop with artisan Jennifer Lee, who has been teaching and enjoying bark basket making for 40 years. Her interest began while studying her Northeast woodland Native American ancestors. These ash bark baskets – known as Mokok – are a Northeast woodland Native American-style container made of bark, stitched with spruce roots, and were originally used to harvest and store food. In this class you’ll learn to make a basket by stitching with spruce roots. The bark, roots, and branches are wild-harvested by Jennifer’s family in the Northern Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts.
Date/Time: Saturday, April 26, 10am – 1pm
Location: Hudson Area Library Community Room
Registration: Space is limited and registration is required. To register, email programs@hudsonarealibrary.org or call 518-828-1792 x101.
This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Jennifer Lee is enrolled with the Metis Nation of North America and the Northern Narragansetts. She grew up without knowledge of her Indian Ancestry, but has spent her adult life learning the true history and culture of the Northeast Woodland Indigenous Peoples. She shares what she’s learning at schools, historic sites, and community events and has received awards at the Mohegan Wigwam Festival, Saratoga Native American Festival, Kearsage Indian Museum, Deerfield Craft Show, and North Carolina Basketmakers Association. Jennifer says, “These bark baskets are made from the trees around my house. Following the season of “loose bark moon” or when the bark is slipping, the bark is peeled from a ladder so it won’t get ruined during felling. By selectively thinning the forest, I’ve sustained my bark basket supply and improved the woods. Historical accounts of the use of Ash, Oak, Pine, Spruce, Elm, Chestnut, Linden and Birch barks to cover wigwams encouraged me to try different barks for baskets. Bark is the material culture of the Northeast woodland tribes: the Abenaki, Ojibway, Narragansett and Pequot. Joy describes the feeling of taking only bark roots and branches, and making something strong and usable in the tradition of my Native ancestors. People get so happy and proud when they fashion something so beautiful and durable from the woods. The trees make a way for me to share, celebrate, express, participate and contribute.”