The Materials
Basketry is a continuing tradition in many different cultures all around the world and in Haudenosaunee (Mohawk) culture, we make 2 types of traditional baskets using black and sweetgrass. Utility style baskets like pack baskets, picnic baskets and laundry baskets are more for heavy use while fancy baskets are more incricate in design and come in different shapes and sizes. The knowledge and techniques have been handed down to us by our ancestors for generations and we still use them today.
Black Ash Splint
The main material used in Mohawk basketry is the wood from a black ash tree. The trees that are going to be used for basket making are carefully selected before being harvested to get the splint.
Log PoundingThe log is pounded with the back of an axe or a mallet in order to separate the growth rings. Special care is taken to make sure the pounded strips are even and consistent. Strips are gradually peeled off lengthwise and can be rolled into bundles for storage.
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Cleaning splint The strips are soaked for hours before being cleaned with a knife. The fibers that held the growth rings together leave a rough surface on the splint so a sharp knife is used to scrape it off. After the strip looks good, it's ready to be split.
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Splitting splintThe layers inside a strip of splint can be peeled apart to make thinner pieces for weave and curls. The splint is split using a tool called a "splitter" which helps separate the layers more easily. Some strips of splint can be split multiple times.
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