The emerald ash borer, first detected in 2016, poses a serious threat to ash trees, crucial for Indigenous basketmaking and cultural preservation.
The Akwesasne Mohawks have been pounding ash logs for generations, producing splint, the main material used in weaving work baskets, vital for both practical and ceremonial uses.
Tekahioken nostalgically recalls the communal log pounding on Saturday mornings, emphasizing the practice as a sacred art that is essential to the survival of their culture and language.
Jessica Rasphita notes that the emerald ash borer's larvae significantly threaten the local ash population, endangering traditional crafts and cultural practices tied to ash harvesting.
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