Karen Cumberland

Birch Bark Berry Basket 3"

$149.00

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Hand made in Fort Liard by Karen Cumberland
3 1/4 l x 3 1/4 w x 4 h (in)
Bee design from Porcupine Quill
Birch Bark, Spruce Root, Moose Hide, Dyed Porcupine Quills.
Karen (Kotchea) Cumberland was born and raised in the small northern community of Fort Liard, Northwest Territories, where she has practiced traditional artwork from a very young age. Originally guided by her mother, Karen made her first birchbark basket when she was just 10 years old
Berry baskets are a traditional craft that have been made in Northern Canada for centuries. As the name suggests these basket were used to hold the harvest of berries, but also herbs and teas. The women of Fort Liard are known for their basket making and have kept the tradition going, each generation teaching the next. Each basket uses only natural materials, birch bark, sinue, root and porcupine quills for decoration. No nails, glue or staples are used at all. The birch is harvested, scraped, soaked and folded slowly to ensure it doesnt split. Then sewn together with root. Porcupine quills are similarly time consuming and a conservative estimate says that 20 hours of work is needed per basket.

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