The tradition of black ash basketry.

Ankaret Dean | Jul 05, 2017

Making a useful basket from a tree trunk could be a mystery for any one other than an indigenous person. For many years our First Nations people have traditionally used the trunk of a black ash tree to provide the fine splints for basketmaking. This is done by pounding the trunk with a wooden mallet until the growth rings separate.

This summer the Lanark Highlands Basketry Museum, in the village of McDonald's Corners,is celebrating black ash basketry. During the month of July there  will be a demonstration of pounding the black ash to release these fine splints. On August 26, Richard Nolan, a basket teacher from Kahnawaake, QC,  will be coming to the MERA School house in McDonald's Corners. He will teach a workshop on making a small black ash basket and also discussing the traditional preparation of black ash splints.

The Lanark Highlands Basketry Museum, 5596 McDonaldsCorners Rd., McDonalds Corners, is open every Saturday from 11 AM to 3 PM, or by appointment 613 278-1203. During July visitors are invited to try out pounding the black ash which is set up in the garden. Admission is by donation.

The workshop with Richard Nolan on Aug 26 will be at the MERA Schoolhouse and the details can be found on the Mera website, meraschoolhouse.org.

It is important to pre-register as spaces are limited.

For more info about the museum see www.lanarkhighlandsbasketrymuseum.ca