By Amelia Judson, Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College Student Intern
Kelly Church is a talented artist who weaves beautiful Black Ash baskets and hats, and Birch Bark bitings, among many other traditional creations Kelly’s Michigan roots run deep. She is a member of the Matchi Be Nash e Wish Tribe in southern Michigan and a descendant of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, a tribe from northern Michigan. She has taught many workshops all around Michigan, and her work is displayed at several museums.
The process for harvesting Black Ash is extensive. The tree is cut down, the bark is peeled, and the log is then pounded to release the splints. The splints are cut, smoothed, and dyed (if desired). The splints are then woven together to create the basket. It is a long and tedious process. It is really a labor of love. Although Kelly has challenges in harvesting the materials, she continues to share her skills with those that want to learn. Kelly believes that it’s important to sustain the tradition for future generations. She has worked with the students at Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College on many occasions teaching the traditional process of harvesting and weaving our own Black Ash baskets. We are very blessed to have her share her knowledge with the community and with our students.
Kelly writes, “My name is Kelly Church. I am a member of the Matchi Be Nash e Wish Tribe in Hopkins, Michigan. I come from an unbroken line of Black Ash basket weavers, and one of the largest Black Ash basket weaving families in Michigan. I learned from my dad Bill Church’ ba (has passed) and my cousin John Pigeon. I have been weaving for more than 25 years. I learned patience from both of these mentors because there is nothing quick about making a Black Ash basket, because you start right from the Black Ash tree.
I work primarily with Black Ash, but I also harvest, process, and use other fibers such as Basswood, Sweetgrass, White Cedar bark, Birch Bark and Spruce roots. My favorite kind of baskets to make are those that share a story for future generations to learn from, stories from the past, what we have encountered, and hopefully the solutions we might be able to leave behind.
I do harvest my own materials from the Michigan woods and forests. Where I am able to locate it depends on what kind of material I am looking for. I learned Black Ash skills from my father and uncle but have also learned how to harvest and work with the other materials from giving and sharing with tribal elders around our state, such as Gerald Wesaw, Ron Paquin, and Dan Walden.
The Emerald Ash Borer has been the biggest concern for harvesting Black Ash. This invasive beetle was introduced into our state in 1992 and discovered in 2002. We have lost over 800 million Ash trees on public lands. Black Ash does not grow in all areas, so it is very hard to locate Black Ash trees in Michigan today.
I am inspired by many things when weaving my baskets but primarily leaving messages for future generations on how to continue the traditions or about saving seeds or the infestation of the Emerald Ash borer on our Black Ash trees. By leaving behind these messages, I hope to educate students and learners as well as help sustain traditions that have been maintained by us since before this country existed.
Working with Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College and other institutions enables me to share traditions that belong to all of us. These traditions were nearly stripped away entirely during our boarding school years and this is the time that we can reclaim, remember, and together weave these baskets in our stories until it becomes just as common as it was before the boarding school days. Black Ash basketry is part of who we are as Anishinaabe people. If we lose this tradition, we also lose part of our culture and language and all of the words that go with the Black Ash teachings. Being able to share with fellow Anishinaabe community members is one of the best parts of what I do.~ Baa maa pii,” Kelly Church
