First American Art Magazine No. 2, Spring 2014 | Page 12

Sustaining Black Ash Traditions

By Kelly Church

I

N THE COMING DECADE, black ash split baskets, bark
baskets, and hand-carved ash cradleboards will become some
of the most collectible pieces of Native art. Black ash (Nigra
fraxinus), also known as brown ash, is a tree that only grows
in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. The
tribes in these areas, including the Anishinaabe, Abenaki, Iroquois,
and other First Nations, have been using the black ash tree for
thousands of years to weave utilitarian baskets, and after contact,
fancy baskets to provide for the needs of their communities.

and easier ways to make a living have also played a part in the
knowledge being lost.
As a culture bearer of my people, and all of our relations, I take
the responsibility of teaching and sharing the knowledge with
others very seriously. I travel extensively to wherever I’m asked
to teach. I work with youth to ensure the knowledge is passed
onto future generations. Most important of all, work that can be
done today is seed collection to ensure the continuation of these
traditions in future generations.

In 2002 Deborah McCullough and a group of researchers from
I began sharing with other weavers at shows I attend about
Michigan State University discovered the emerald ash borer
the EAB and what they had coming their way. In 2006, 2008,
(EAB) in southeastern Michigan. The beetle, Agrilus planipennis,
and 2011, we held national conferences in Michigan, bringing
was introduced to Michigan by infected ash pallets on ships from
native practitioners, researchers, and experts together. I will
China. Thousands of ash trees
hold another conference this
were discovered dying and
year. Over the past year I have
dead, and today Michigan has
been assisting institutions
lost over 400 of its 803 million
and individual collectors in
ash trees due to EAB. The
attaining complete collections
Department of Agriculture
of black ash baskets before it is
predicts the loss of the entire
too late.
ash resource of North America.
Once EAB infects an ash tree, or
In the last decade Les Benedict,
worse an ash stand, the trees will
Mike Benedict, Richard David
die in three to five years. EAB
(Iroquois), Jennifer Neptune
can fly about a mile a year, but
(Abenaki), and John Pigeon
with the movement of infected
(Anishinaabe), and I have
logs and firewood, the spread
worked together teaching and
of EAB is happening at an even
sharing all we know about black
faster rate. Over 21 states are
ash trees and seed collection.
infected with EAB, with more
By working together, we will
added to the list each year.
Emerald ash borer on a damaged black ash tree. Image courtesy of Kelly ensure the continuation of this
Church (Odawa-Ojibwe).
tradition.
Scientists believe the EAB
reached Michigan in 1992. First discovered in eastern
Even with the collection of seeds, the fact remains that the
Pennsylvania in 2006, the beetle has been present since 2000, as
tradition will not be passed on for decades, as it has for centuries,
a study of growth rings on infected trees determined. The size
due to lack of basket trees, and the planting and regrowth
of the borer and number of years it takes to visually see the signs
of the trees. To ensure the knowledge is not forgotten and
of EAB in infected trees makes it hard to discover the infestation
able to be passed on again, I have focused teachings on youth
when it first happened. Black ash trees normally grow on grounds and have documented with videos the entire identification,
with higher water tables. Black ash trees seed only every five to
selection, and harvesting of a black ash tree, as well as, in
seven years. A good basket tree is 30–50 years old. In a stand of 50 entirety, how to process the materials and weave baskets from
black ash trees, maybe five to 10 will be good basket trees.
the finished products. These recordings will be stored among
tribal communities and can be used to bring the knowledge and
I come from an unbroken line of black ash basket makers going
teachings back when we are able to safely replant and regrow ash
back centuries. We have a picture of my family wo