Contributed by Maine Historical Society
Description
Paula Love Thorne, a member of the Penobscot Nation, made this corn basket made of ash and sweetgrass. Thorne hails from a long line of basketmakers. Her mentor was renowned Penobscot weaver, Christine Nicholas.
Baskets made in the forms of vegetables and fruits are common in Wabanaki culture. Wabanaki people, usually women, grew varieties of corn, beans, and squash in what are called Three Sisters planting mounds. Wabanaki diets also relied on foods like acorns and butternuts—trees that were decimated by European harvesting for timber and masts. The corn form could reflect tribal histories relating to the First Mother, who sacrificed her life to provide corn and food for the people.
About This Item
- Title: Paula Thorne corn basket, Indian Island, ca. 1999
- Creator: Paula Love Thorne
- Creation Date: 1999
- Subject Date: circa 1999
- Location: Indian Island, Old Town, Penobscot County, ME
- Media: ash, sweetgrass
- Local Code: 2021.006.003ab
- Object Type: Physical Object
Cross Reference Searches
Standardized Subject Headings
- Artists
- Basketmakers
- Baskets
- Indians of North America--Maine
- Native Americans--baskets
- Wabanaki Indians
People
Other Keywords
For more information about this item, contact:
Maine Historical Society485 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101
(207) 774-1822 x230
Website
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. No Permission is required to use the low-resolution watermarked image for educational use, or as allowed by the applicable copyright. For all other uses, permission is required.
More to Consider
Item 108747
Paula Thorne acorn basket, Indian Island, ca. 1999
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