North by Northeast: Wabanaki, Akwesane Mohawk, and Tuscarora Traditional Arts [Paperback]

For generations, Native American traditional artists in the Northeasthave passed on their culture through beadwork, basketry, canoe making,wood carving, and quilting. Through the work and words of overthirty-five traditional artists living and working primarily in Maineand New York, North by Northeast explores these artists' connection toplace, tradition, and cultural identity. A tribute to theresourcefulness and creativity of contemporary practicing artists fromthe Wabanaki, Akwesasne Mohawk, and Tuscarora tribes, the book isbeautifully illustrated with the work of photographers CedricChatterley, Peggy McKenna, Jere DeWaters, and Peter Dembski.? Essays by Salli Benedict, Sue Ellen Herne, Jennifer Neptune, Theresa Secord and Lynne Williamson.Kathleen Mundell writes 'North by Northeast:Wabanaki,Akwesasne Mohawk,and Tuscarora Traditional Arts' in a collaborative spirit, letting theartists speak directly about their art and culture. Although the bookfocuses largely on baskets, it also covers beadwork, canoe making, woodcarving and quilting. What's difficult to escape is the sense oflongstanding tradition that binds the artists and their communities,giving the book a compelling cultural text.Anin-depth view of how contemporary artists continue to practice the traditionalarts of basketmaking, beadwork, birchbark canoe making, and woodcarving.Mundell has been gathering material for this book for 15 years. NativeAmerican traditional artists-over 35 of them living primarily in Maineand New York-explore here the connection to place, tradition, culturalidentity. Mundell features profiles of the artists themselves with theirown words and illustrations of their individual work....theartwork-exquisitely photographed here-especially the basketmaking-isbreathtaking in its intricacy of design and utility, particular shapesand artistic renderings often handed down through generations infamilies....Mundell's collaboration with the basketmakers has resultedin a multi-tribal efforl³°