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Reviews
Spruce-Root Basketry of the Haida and Tlingit
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By Sharon J. Busby
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Photographs by Ronald H. Reeder, illustrations by Margaret Davidson. University of Washington Press, Seattle, 2003. Illustrations, photographs, maps, bibliography, index. 160 pages. $55.00 cloth.
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Reviewed by Peter L. Corey
Sheldon Jackson Museum, Sitka, Alaska
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| Sharon Busby's book is a breath of fresh air for those interested in Native American basketry and, in particular, in twined spruce root basketry of the Tlingit and Haida. The more in-depth monographs on Tlingit spruce root basketry by George T. Emmons and Frances Paul, primarily illustrated in black and white, are not always readily available. This clearly written volume flows nicely through the logically divided chapters while synthesizing the information of Emmons, Paul, and others. The photographer, Ronald H. Reeder, has done a superb job, presenting the baskets in a clear, well-lighted, color format. Most of the photographs are of baskets from private collections that have not been shown previously. They alone are a fine addition to the subject. Margaret Davidson's illustrations are of their usual fine quality. |
1
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Spruce-Root Basketry of the Tlingit and Haida is the first popular book that I am aware of that treats Haida basketry as a separate tradition rather than as an aside to Tlingit basketry. It is a step in bringing Haida basketry to an interested public. The Tlingit basketry material is a synthesis of existing information and does not really add anything new to the historic aspect of the subject. Busby does update the information to include contemporary trends and weavers, however. The annotated list of suggested readings is a nice touch and one that I hope other authors will take the time to emulate. The chapter titled "Care and Appreciation of Baskets" is a welcome and necessary reminder about how to care for baskets. |
2
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The photo section on spruce root-gathering and preliminary preparation is very helpful for beginning to understand the physical labor involved in getting the roots ready to weave. Unfortunately, the segment was not credited as to photographer. |
3
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This book is intended for a general audience, but I believe that footnotes or other citations would have been a nice addition for present and future scholars. There are several minor problems: the name of the student in figure 90, page 120, is Jania Garcia, not Janice; the photo in figure 64, page 94, has been reversed in the printing; and the basket cover in figure 24, page 49, is not original to the bottom (see figure 62, page 62, for a correct matching of cover and bottom, as illustrated by the matching design bands on the cover rim and the bottom's lower edge). Twenty-four of the illustrations are not credited as to source, which is unfortunate. I would prefer that the "spruce root" remain unhyphenated, as it has been in the body of works on the subject. |
4
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Spruce-Root Basketry of the Tlingit and Haida is an enjoyable and informative read with great illustrations. It spans the history of spruce root basketry on the Northern and Northwest Coast up to the present, including illustrations of fine contemporary examples. The presentation is sure to lure new aficionados into the mystique of spruce root basketry. Although it is not a "how to" book in the sense of teaching how to weave, it is an aid in how to look at, appreciate, and care for Tlingit and Haida basketry. |
5
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