The Honor Basket

This basket came to me in a dream. In the dream, a deceased friend asked me if I had a basket for sale. I held up a curly bowl basket. As I handed it to him, I noticed it had changed into a magician’s black hat. Then I drove onto Indian Island and went around visiting people and making things. While I was braiding sweet grass at an elder’s home, I saw four dollar bills and I left to find my friend. When I saw him, he was holding this basket offering things from the basket (sweet grass smudgers, and small prayer braids, pieces of cedar, tobacco, sweet grass, and sage) to people as they walked by. He saw me and waved-this was when I saw the turtle on the inside of the cover. I said “Nice basket”, as I handed him his change. “Yes it is. Thank you for making it for me.” He smiled and took the money, putting it in the basket and said “Good-one for each direction. Woliwon.”

Here are symbols which are woven into the basket or held within: The four directions come together to form “the circle of unity”-square bottom, round top with long prayer braid bound around the rim. The eastern star on the outside is in honor of the Wabanaki – People of the Dawn: Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot. The turtle on the inside cover is in honor of mother earth. A long prayer braid is held within to bless this basket and all things. A bundle of sage, tobacco, cedar, and sweet grass are to be used to honor your own desires, dreams, and hopes. The dragonfly is in honor of all those who have passed on before us-shape shifting. And the heart is for love and peace.

I am honored to be able to create such a basket and so I chose to call it the “Honor” basket.

Woliwon (Thank you)

Pam outdusis Cunningham
Little Pathway
Penobscot Fancy basket maker