Indigenous Plant Knowledge Series

My project is titled Indigenous Plant Knowledge Series and focuses on the Emerald Ash Borer as an invasive species and its environmental impact and contribution to possible culture loss. The works in my Indigenous Plant Knowledge Series explore ways of reclaiming and relearning Indigenous knowledge systems to establish paths toward self-sustainability and decolonization. I am creating physical objects that can visually help us to learn and remember by depicting eastern botanicals which are used medicinally, culturally, and/or nutritionally.

In this work, I am exploring the environmental impact of the Emerald Ash Borer on the ash tree. Ash trees have significant meaning to my ancestral homelands of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. My community is a basket weaving culture and depends on the ash tree to create and continue this cultural art form. As the Emerald Ash borer becomes more invasive in the local environment and our trees are quickly being taken, the potential loss of this traditional form of making has been at the forefront of my mind. By using metal instead of traditional ash, this work gives me the chance to recontextualize and examine the material and its associations in contemporary, Haudenosaunee artwork as well as create a conversation about loss, adaptability and resiliency within Indigenous communities.