Sheila Ransom

Basketry

Sheila Ransom, Basket given to Pope Benedict XVI upon the canonization of Kateri Tekakwitha (2012). Black ash and sweetgrass. Dimensions: 9.75” w x 4” h. ©Sheila Ransom 2012. Courtesy of the artist.

Sheila Ransom’s exquisite black ash basket commemorates the canonization of Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American to be recognized as a saint.

Black ash basketmaking is a cherished Akwesasne Mohawk skill, passed from generation to generation to give thanks for creation and celebrate tribal values. Today, black ash trees are scarce – victims of pollution, overharvesting, and habitat destruction. And now climate warming favors a new menace: the tree-devouring emerald ash borer.

The resilient Akwesasne are saving seeds to regenerate devastated ash stands. But because it takes 40-50 years for ash trees to grow to a good size, basketmakers like Ransom continue to search for ways to preserve this tribal tradition for future generations. Learn more.