Paula Thorne acorn basket, Indian Island, ca. 1999
Item 108747 info
Maine Historical Society
Paula Love Thorne, member of the Penobscot Nation, made this ash and sweetgrass acorn basket. Thorne hails from a long line of basketmakers. Her mentor was renowned Penobscot weaver, Christine Nicholas.
Baskets made in the form 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.
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