New book highlights Mi’kmaq basket weaving in stunning photos

Margie ‘Malglit’ Pelletier of We'kok'maq First Nation in Cape Breton has been making traditional Mi'kmaq baskets for most of her life.

The art form was passed down to her by her mother, Caroline Gould, who was considered one of the most influential basket weavers in Mi'kmaki.

"She was a pioneer in basket weaving," Pelletier said.

Now, Pelletier and her late mother are among many basket weavers from across Atlantic Canada whose work is profiled in a new book, “The Art of Mi'kmaw Basketry.”

The stunning photographs in the book are accompanied by profiles of the nine artists, including their unique practices behind these works of art.

"What I like about this book is the fact that Mom's name is mentioned a lot, because she influenced a lot of people to make baskets," Pelletier said. “If you see a basket, if Mom taught you, you knew exactly who made it because her whole heart and soul was into the baskets."

Holly Brownbear, originally from Tobique First Nation, spent weeks travelling across Atlantic Canada and into southern Quebec taking photos for the book.

The cover of The Art of Mi'kmaw Basketry is pictured.

She says anyone who picks up a copy will experience a bit of what she did when she saw the artists at work firsthand.

"You kind of start to realize, 'Wow, everyone really has their own personal style’," Brownbear said. “And you can also really see a little bit of them, and their family, in each piece."

For Pelletier, who now passes the tradition and skills along to her granddaughters, having her mother's work featured between the pages is a nice honour for a woman who once presented one of her baskets to Queen Elizabeth II.

"She would be so happy that she influenced all these people to do baskets, to elevate them into an art form," Pelletier said.

The book, which launched on Oct. 10, is available through Chapters and online.