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    The Penobscot people, have been making baskets since our creator Gluscabe (klos~kkah~beh) gave us the gift of brown ash, birch, and sweet grass. Whether made of Brown Ash, Birch Bark, or Sweet Grass, the talent and detail can be seen in each and every piece. Penobscots would make their baskets, with the entire family being involved in the process sometimes, and travel around the state to sell their wares. Initially, these baskets were for everyday use, and sold in the local markets at low prices. To make a living Penobscot basket makers had to focus on quantity as well as quality. Over the years, different influences have resulted in more creative types of baskets, for instance, the Victorian age resulted in the use of curls and brighter colored dyes in the work. Today, Penobscots make baskets that are seen as more of a cultural art, selling for much higher prices. Some of the fancy baskets now are made to resemble different items , such as the acorn, or the strawberry baskets. The museum has many assorted baskets on exhibit, made over the past two hundred years, that show Penobscot artistry.

 

    Pαnawαhpskewi rely mainly on  brown ash, sweet grass, and birch bark to make their baskets. All three materials grow in and around the wetlands and streams in Maine. To various extents, all three are becoming quite scarce due to the pulp and paper industry, as well as other industrial pollutants, which have resulted in concentrations of toxic dioxins and heavy metals into the local ecosystems. Others negative conditions have been attributed to climate changes. A good brown ash stick for basket making is straight and free of knots, with a minimum of 6 inches in diameter, and is at least 6 to 12 feet long. Splints for basket weaving are produced by pounding the entire log or wedges of it with the back of an axe or a sledge. The pounding causes the tree to split along its annual growth rings, producing splints. The splints are then ready to use or they may be further split with a splint gauge into widths ranging from 1/16 inch to 1/2 inch. These splints are then woven. Sweet grass is picked in marshy areas where the fresh water tributaries meet the salt water.

 

    There are many types of baskets with an assortment of uses. There are carrying baskets, sewing, handkerchief, food, potato, pack and storage baskets. The thumbnails below show just a few examples of splendid Penobscot basketry. Some baskets were even used to act as fish and eel traps. To view some of these various types, click over the above thumbnails for a larger display. wәliwoni!

 

 

   

 

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