Book dossier

Dene spruce root basketry

by Suzan Marie, Judy Thompson

"In 1999, Suzan Marie, a Dene with a passion for traditional arts of her people, initiated a project to reintroduce the lost art of spruce root basketry to small Dene communities. This book tells the story of this modern revival of a traditional skill, and of the museum collections that were essential to the process. It is richly illustrated with photographs of baskets - both those collected in the nineteenth century and those made recently by a new generation of Dene basket-makers. Also included are detailed descriptions and illustrations of the processes involved in making a basket, from harvesting of spruce roots to coiling technique. This book will be a resource for anyone interested in Dene culture and heritage. It will also serve as a practical guide to artisans wishing to make a Dene spruce root basket."--Jacket.