Book Launch Celebrates Acadian Basket-making Heritage

Atlantic Canada's rich basket-making heritage is celebrated in Joleen Gordon's latest book, Acadian Root Baskets of Atlantic Canada.

The book will be launched Wednesday, June 1, at the Museum of Natural History, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, at 5:30 p.m.

Acadian Root Baskets of Atlantic Canada explores the vanishing art of basket making in the Acadian tradition and teaches the unique style of weaving through step-by-step instructions.

The book describes how Acadian, Black, and Mi'kmaq styles overlap and influence each other, and how important these baskets have been to the Acadians who have created them over the centuries.

This is the only book available on Acadian basket-making traditions in Atlantic Canada.

Joleen Gordon is an internationally recognized basket maker and teacher, the founder of the Nova Scotia Basketry Guild and a research associate with the Nova Scotia Museum.

"The survival of this basket style in many Acadian communities of Atlantic Canada is a testament to the spirit of the Acadian people," says Ms. Gordon.

Acadian Root Baskets of Atlantic Canada is co-published by Nimbus Publishing Ltd. and the Nova Scotia Museum.

The book is available in bookstores or by calling Nova Scotia Museum books at 902-424-7344 or toll free at 1-800-632-1114.