Ann Arbor Times

New works by Indigenous basket weavers Kelly Church and Cherish Parrish are on display at the University of Michigan's Stamps Gallery until December 15. The exhibition, titled “In Our Words: An Intergenerational Dialogue,” showcases traditional basket weaving using Black ash trees, which are threatened by the emerald ash borer beetle.

“You couldn’t commercialize black ash basket weaving because the trees have to grow for 25 to 40 years, and only maybe 5-10 trees out of 100 are good for baskets,” Church explained. The process involves splitting growth rings with an ax—a labor-intensive method passed down through generations.

Church's family has a long history of basket weaving, as illustrated by a photograph from 1919 included in the exhibit. Her grandmother once remarked, “We have been making baskets since before they were making cameras.”

The artists aim to preserve this tradition despite the challenges posed by the beetle infestation. Church emphasizes oral transmission over written records: “Our Native people have always passed things on orally. They’re not written down … we feel that if we begin to write things down and record, you’ll get comfortable that it is always there, and then you won’t practice it anymore.”

With most Black ash trees lost due to the beetle, preservation efforts include exhibitions like this one and educational discussions such as "Enduring Kinship." This series will explore plant preservation strategies with input from Indigenous artists.

Church adheres to the Seventh Generation principle, considering decisions' impacts on future generations: “We are supposed to look seven generations ahead … not just for my grandkid, but for people I will never meet.” Her artwork reflects this philosophy; pieces like "Continuum," made without ash wood, serve as cautionary tales about resource depletion.

Forestry agencies study surviving Black ash trees for potential reseeding initiatives. While their future remains uncertain, Church’s work aims to safeguard Indigenous traditions.

“Enduring Kinship” roundtables occur on November 15 at 10 a.m., open to all. “In Our Words” runs through December 15 and is curated by Srimoyee Mitra with assistant Zoi Crampton. Funding was provided by the University of Michigan Arts Initiative.