Asahqaha (Acorn)

This large Asahqaha or Acorn basket extends the Wabanaki practice of celebrating the gifts of northeastern woodland environments through creative expressions. Depictions of acorns, berries, corn, and squash are included among the fancy-basket traditions and are woven using locally-harvested materials including black and brown ash, sweet grass, and cedar. This basket was skillfully built with the support of a hand-made wooden mold that gently shapes the basket form as the artist weaves.

Theresa Secord is a traditional Penobscot basket maker and founding director of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance. She learned to weave from her mentor, Madeline Tomer Shay (Penobscot, 1915-1993). Honoring intergenerational and community styles, she uses tools and wooden forms inherited from her great-grandmother. Carrying forward community knowledge, Secord has guided many apprentices including Jeremy Frey. She is the recipient of numerous honors and awards.