Raw materials
Black ash baskets

Cutting the black ash

"This is a good tree—it’s straight for about 15 feet. But it’s so big it’ll be hard to carry out of the woods. This one here is good too—about 9 or 10 feet, nice and straight. It could fall into the clearing. We’ll try pounding it to see. There, it’s down, we can take it with us. The white layer has to be worked on both sides, so it’ll need more work; the brown is thicker, that makes it easier."

Clément M’Sadoques, Michel Durand-Nolett, and Martin Gill, Waban-Aki (Abenaki)
Images : Carl Morasse
La Boîte Rouge vif archives, 2006

Pounding the ash and refining the results

"You start by making a little notch. You can make the splints in different widths, but I usually each strip an inch and a half to two inches wide. Then I trim off anything that’s sticking out. You make a notch so you can split it in two. Then you just need to pull it apart. If it gets too thin, you pull up on it against your knee. Here there’s a smooth side and a grainy side that will need to be planed down. Now you have your finished product for making baskets."
Martin Gill, Waban-Aki (Abenaki)

Martin Gill, Waban-Aki (Abenaki)
Images : Carl Morasse
La Boîte Rouge vif archives, 2006

Using sweet grass

“We also use sweet grass so the basket looks nicer. Sweet grass has a nice smell too, which adds a really nice touch. The Waban-aki word for sweet grass is wlimskikoal."
Monique Iles-Nolett, Waban-Aki (Abenaki)

“They used to gather sweet grass on the Verchères and Boucherville islands. Some people would stay two or three weeks. They’d leave here by canoe and go where there were patches of sweet grass. They’d weave baskets and gather the grass.”
Raymond O’Bomsawin, Waban-Aki (Abenaki)

Wild sweet grass is hard to find today, so some people grow it. After cutting, it’s braided together. It has to be used while fresh or else moistened so it’s supple enough for basketmaking.

Monique Iles-Nolett, Waban-Aki (Abenaki)
Images : Carl Morasse

Selecting & Cutting the ash splints

First, the ash splints are scraped smooth with a knife. For the basket bottom and ribs, thicker ones are chosen for sturdiness. For the sides and cover, thinner ones are best because they’re easier to shape. The splints can then be cut into narrower strips for weaving.

Splints are soaked three to four minutes before cutting. This makes them more flexible and helps prevent breakage during weaving.

A piece of wood fitted with equally spaced blades is used to cut the splints into uniform strips.

La Boîte Rouge vif archives, 2006

Dying the splints

Ash splints can be dyed if desired. In the past, organic pigments were used for color. Today garment dyes are used instead.

It is important to always moisten the splints before starting to weave. If they have been dyed, they are moistened with a sponge instead of being soaked so that the color won’t run.

1-2. Sheila Ramson, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk)

3-4. Musée des Abénakis d’Odanak
La Boîte Rouge vif archives, 2006

Weaving the basket bottom

Baskets are usually made with a mold. The length of the splints for the base and ribs is measured from the mold. The number of ribs depends on the basket size. It usually takes 10 or 12, and two extra ones for the cover.

To assemble the bottom, narrow splints are woven in a circle around the ribs.

1-4. Dolorès Wawanoloath and Johanne Lachapelle, Waban-Aki (Abenaki)
Photographs : Sarah-Emmanuelle Brassard & Cindy Cantin
La Boîte Rouge vif archives, 2006

Weaving the sides and finishing the rim

After completing the bottom, the basket maker places the mold inside and continues weaving upwards, shaping the basket.

To finish the basket, a wider strip of ash is positioned around the top and attached to the ribs, which are then folded inward. If the basket has no cover, the rim is trimmed with sweet grass. Otherwise, the sweet grass is interwoven directly into the cover.

1-3. La Boîte Rouge vif archives, 2006

4. Sheila Ramson, Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk)

Making the cover

The first step in making a cover is to determine its size and prepare ash splints that are narrower than those used for the basket. Pre-soaked sweet grass can be used to achieve a finer and tighter weave. Alternating it with the ash makes for a prettier, sturdier basket.

1-6. Dolorès Wawanoloath, Waban-Aki (Abenaki)
Photographs : Cindy Cantin
Archives de La Boîte Rouge vif, 2006

Decorating the piece

Artisanal basketmakers use all kinds of decorations, including the “porcupine twist” or k8wis (the word for “spine” or “thorn” in Waban-aki). Other decorations include sweet grass braids, ash lacework, and other forms inspired by nature.

Barbara-Ann Watso, Waban-Aki (Abenaki)
Images : Carl Morasse
La Boîte Rouge vif archives, 2006