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Here is simply put, a true master of his
craft. His creations speak far more in volume than whatever words I
could possibly come up with. So, I am going to let him do the talking
and his crafts do the convincing. Treat your eyes to a wonderful
exhibition and visit
http://www.wabanakibaskets.com - Snow Owl – August, 2004 |
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About the Master Basket
maker and the owner of
The Wabanaki Baskets
site:
“My name is Fred Tomah. I am a Master
Basket maker from The Maliseet Tribe. My reservation is located in
Northern Maine just outside a Town called Houlton in the county of
Aroostook.
The Maliseet Tribe is a Federally Recognized Indian Tribe and
culturally is a part of a larger group of Indians called the
Wabanaki - People of the Dawn. There are four Tribes of the Wabanaki,
the Penobscot Nation, Passamaquoddy Tribes, Houlton Band of Maliseet
Indians and the
Aroostook Band of Micmac's.
I have been making brown ash baskets for nearly 35 years. I was
taught by my ancestors, who learned it from their ancestors.
Although my baskets are highly prized and sought around the globe by
collectors, the baskets within the gallery are available.
I make over a dozen styles including the quadrifoil twill weave
basket. My Katahdin Arctic Butterfly Basket is featured in the
Smithsonian.
I will be adding other twill weave styles not represented here to
the gallery as my time permits.
So list this site to your favorite list and keep checking for
updates.
Thank you for your visit and your interest in my Baskets.
If by chance you do not find the basket style you like, drop me a
line at
Fred Tomah
3-2 Clover Court, Maliseet Indian Reservation,
Houlton, Maine 04730
and see if I can make it.” Fred Tomah
If you rather E-Mail me please due so at
fredtomah@yahoo.com.
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About the Maine
Indian Basketmakers Alliance
(MIBA):
The MIBA
is a nonprofit, Native American arts service organization dedicated
to preserving the ancient traditions of ash and sweetgrass basketry
among the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot tribes in
Maine.
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About the some
of the baskets, go to the website
Wabanaki Baskets for more: |
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The Katahdin Smoke Signal
Basket
“The four tribes of the Wabanaki consider Mt. Katahdin, Maine's highest
mountain-where the sun first rises on the land, a sacred place. In
homage to Katahdin, the basket derives its name.” Fred Tomah |
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Hand-woven Brown Ash square bottom arched sides basket in twill
weave quadrifoil construction with additional twill weave smoke
signal design motif accented with Brown Ash handle and rim.
Dimensions: 10" H X 10" wide |
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| The Katahdin
Arctic Butterfly In Turquoise |
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Hand-woven Brown Ash square
bottom arched sides basket in twill weave quadrifoil construction
accented with twill quadrifoil lid
and Katahdin Arctic butterfly motif.
Baskets are signed, dated and
numbered. |
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This basket is featured in
Fine Galleries in
New England and is on view in The National Museum of the American
Indian, Smithsonian Institution |
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Perhaps the
most difficult generation of baskets I make. These are the Lidded
Katahdin Arctic Butterfly Baskets.
A recent development in the Katahdin basket design inspired by a
little butterfly living on Mount Katahdin, this very special
basket was first created for the Abbe Museum of Bar Harbor Maine
in what became a series of lidded baskets on the Katahdin theme.
The butterfly on the lid represents the Arctic butterfly, an
endangered species that is the only butterfly indigenous to the
mountain.
Trapped by glacial ice thousands of years ago, this little
butterfly evolved into it's own species. These baskets are made in
homage to this butterfly.
The design on the side of the basket represents Mt Katahdin and,
hovering above the mountain, an eagle |
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The Tomah Basket Backpacks |
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| Hand-woven Brown
Ash BackPack. This basket is woven over an 85-year-old puzzle
mold. It measures 20" in height with a base of 12" by 8" |
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Inside View |
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"From Alaska to Maine outdoorsmen who seek the
best seek this
BackPack.
Special effort, by demanding standards set by
my ancestors, is
used to select the right wood for this BackPack.
This is the most difficult basket I make. Each rib of this basket is
hand cut to fit it's selected place.
Recognized for their strength, Ice fisherman often flip this basket
upside down and use it for a seat when fishing." |
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http://www.wabanakibaskets.com |
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Below
are Links to the
Other Featured Artists Pages
[ Up ] [ Featured Artists-David Humphreys Miller ] [ Featured Artists-Jerome Bushyhead ] [ Featured Artists-Fred Tomah ] [ Featured Artist-Lil Deer-Jeanne McMahon ]
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